PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED TEACHER ACCUSES GES OFFICIAL OF EXTORTION

A physically challenged teacher of the Agormanya Methodist Junior High School has leveled an allegation of extortion against the immediate past administrator of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service.

Forty three (43) year old Michael Godsway Kosi Patamia, a product of the Accra College of Education and subsequently the University of Cape Coast who has been teaching since September 2009 without salary indicated that between the periods of November 2009 and June 2010, he was made to pay a total of GHC 280.00 by one Mr. Kwesi Akuffo, then the Administrator of the Lower Manya Krobo District Office to facilitate the processing of his document and the release of his salary which he is yet to received almost three years after his re-engagement.

The accused, Mr. Akuffo has since been transferred and is said to be working with the New Juabeng Municipal Directorate in a similar capacity.

In his two paged petition dated June 27, 2012 addressed to the New Juabeng Municipal Director of Education through and the Director of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Office of the GES, Mr. Patamia categorically stated the venue and time the various installments of the stated amount were paid, citing witness in all the instances.

He said on all such occasions, he has had to borrow money from people including his aged mother and one Mrs. Anelia Godzo, the Assistant headmistress of the Ayikuma Methodist Basic School to satisfy the demand put forth by the accused.

According to him, the first major installments, an amount of GHC 50 out of the GHC 200.00 which was demanded by the accused on May 7, 2012 to facilitate the release of the salary within six months was paid to him (the accused) a day after his request (May 8, 2010) at Abeka in Accra in the presence of his (Mr. Patamia's) wife, mother and children.

He said another amount of GHC 50.00 was paid to the wife of the accused as was the directive from the latter. Still not satisfied, Mr. Akuffo advanced for the remaining GHC 100.00 in June 2010 which was paid to him in the presence of his wife at their then new residence at Somanya in the Eastern Region. He indicated that there were other minor payments supposed to have been used as transportation by Mr. Akuffo to the Regional Directorate to undergo the needed formalities.

Not too long after the alledged extortions, Mr. Akuffo was transferred to his current post, handing Mr. Patamia over to one Mr. Joseph Nuertey in charge of at the Integrated Persona Payroll Database (IPPD) of the Municipal Office, who had to start the process all over again.

Mr. Patamia, as yet has not received his salary compelling him, his 5 children and new-born wife to, among many other difficulties, live on charity amidst threat of ejection out of his single room apartment by his landlord whom he currently owes rent.

In an interview, Mr. Patamia said “It is painful to see an able-bodied person drain me even in my current condition. He did not only fail to process my document but he ignored me after and has refused picking my calls since his transfer, giving me the impression that he was conscious of what he did” adding, “He must be cautioned before he extend this to another innocent person at his new post”.

When contacted, Mr. Akuffo neither denied nor confirmed the allegation but pleaded for some time to enable him address grievances raised.