By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Public Accounts Committee of Ghana’s Parliament has directed the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Kenneth Attafuah, to refund more than GHc98,000 deducted from the Authority’s Account as penalty for the delayed transfer of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions.
The NIA, having failed to remit SSNIT contributions promptly, covered the penalty using the Authority’s funds.
The Public Accounts Committee, aligning with the Auditor General’s recommendation, affirmed that Prof. Ken Attafuah and the financial controller should be surcharged with the penalty’s cost.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, the Executive Secretary of the NIA was given a one-month deadline to reimburse the amount.
“The recommendation is that you should refund the money, the money should be refunded from the Chief Executive and Financial Controller.
You have come to explain why you did not pay the money you withheld to SSNIT, but the committee will not accept your explanation.
So the recommendation of the Auditor General still holds, the Chief Executive and the Financial Controller should go and refund the money to the recovery account of the Auditor General and this should be done in one month,” the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commitee, James Klutse Avedzi, alluded.
