At a Public Accounts Committee hearing Wednesday, January 31, 2024, the Director General of the Ghana Education Service was given a two-week ultimatum to investigate and report back to the Committee on a matter of unearned salaries paid to a sick teacher.
Dr. Eric Nkansah is expected to explain to the PAC how a sum of GHC 24,000.00 was paid to the teacher who is said to be suffering from a spiritual disease.
Despite the inability of the said teacher to report to school due to sickness, he earned his salary according to reports.
The Director-General informed the Committee that the development was an unusual case which requires further probing and thus requested the leave of the Committee to investigate the matter further.
In a related development, a Member of the Public Account Committee of Parliament and MP for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George has questioned the continued stay of the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, in office.
He raised the issue during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on January 29.
Sam George’s question was necessitated by a revelation that Dr Owusu-Amoah is 62 years old and currently working without a contract.
The MP for Ningo-Prampram, in asking a Public Interest Question, reminded the Committee of the Finance Ministers statement to Parliament that President Akuffo-Addo has resolved to not extend the stay of any public servant who attains the retirement age, hence the need to ascertain whether or not the GRA’s Commissioner-General is on contract.
Drama at Public Accounts Committee hearing as Sam George probes age of GRA Commissioner
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Committee’s meeting, Sam George said, “it is important for the Finance Minister and the President to explain to the nation why the Commissioner General is kept in office without a contract and yet signing contracts running into millions of dollars for the state?”
“In 2021 when he turned 60, his contract ended. He has worked through 2022, above the age of 60, 2023 and in 2024, is continuing in a year he will turn 63, three years post his 60th birthday without a contract. So, he has absolutely no basis to remain as Commissioner General of the GRA… so why is Ammishadai being kept at the GRA? And it is this period that he has signed a million-dollar question,” Sam George stressed.
The drama ensued when a Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Asare insisted that Dr Owusu-Amoah could not answer the question because it is personal.
By Duke Mensah Opoku|TV3