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25.05.2015 Opinion

Massive Corruption In Sissala East District Education Service

By Prince Justice Ali
Massive Corruption In Sissala East District Education Service
25.05.2015 LISTEN

I weep for the liberty of my country when I see that corruption has been inputted into no less a profession but ALMIGHTY TEACHING. Not merely being inputted but being permanently imprinted. The imprint is so glaring because it emanates from the leadership who are supposed models. Thus, corruption per se is not with teaching or with teachers as will be seen herein but it is with officers who administer teaching; that is, district education office. Somewhat powerless to correct but somehow powerful to report, I draw the nation's attention to yet some inestimable alleged corrupt practices in Sissala East District Education Service in the Upper West Region, Wa.

First allegation! The IPPD officer Mr Nicholas Ziemeh extracted gargantuan amounts of money ranging from GH¢50 to 80 each from teachers whose SSNIT numbers were not appearing on their payslips. He now increased the amount to GH¢100 from each. Don’t look at this amount in units as small, but sum it up. Just imagine he took GH¢60 each from over 200 teachers. Added to the SSNIT incident, it is further alleged that teachers due for salary adjustment are paying between GH¢ 200 and 300 to the same IPPD officer!

Some of the victims who spoke to me on condition of anonymity confirmed that the IPPD officer, who never hesitates in taking money for everything he does, once again took monies from them before rectifying their problems. What at all was the problem like? The problem was nationwide in nature and the affected teachers were asked to photocopy their SSNIT numbers and payslips and submit them to their IPPD officers who would forward them to the Controller and Accountant’s General Dept for correction. Sadly, this situation rather became a money-making venture at Tumu District Education Office. Who even knows whether it was not a national syndicate that systematically deleted the SSNIT numbers only to use that problem as a means of getting money? Readers may widen their scope of investigation.

Allegation Two: The District ICT coordinator Mr. Abu Haruna refused to give the Better Ghana Agenda Laptops to some of the teachers who have undergone training to teach information and communications technology (ICT) in their respective schools. Instead, he preferentially dished out the laptops to teachers he likes particularly those who never undertook the training programme but are ‘ladies of ladies’. For instance, at Kong Basic School, one female teacher Mariam at the lower primary who never took part in the training received the laptop instead of Mr. Jawara, the ICT tutor. Mr. Jawara vehemently protested the issue beforehand.

What did the ICT Coordinator do to the true beneficiaries of the laptops? During the training programme, he compiled the names and account numbers of the trainees for their allowances and feeding. Since last year, Mr Abu has never released a penny to any teacher for feeding.

Now that it is time for distributing the laptops, Mr Abu’s modus operandi is ‘Pay before you collect’. Teachers who spoke to me on condition of anonymity also confirmed thus.

For example, only last week, a teacher (name withheld) claims to have witnessed Mr Abu’s pay-before-you-collect scene. In the said scene, a teacher from Gbenebisi came to pick up his laptop and the coordinator told the teacher to bribe him. When the teacher gave Mr Abu GH ¢ 20.00, he said it was small. To increase the amount of money he must take before giving out the laptops to the other teachers who genuinely took the course, Mr Abu Haruna told the queuing teachers in front of his office that he could not attend to them. Consequently, those who never wanted to travel to the office again had no option but to ‘PAY’. Allegedly, some of the teachers paid between GH¢30 to 50 each before they received their laptops.

The saying goes "A cockroach can never be innocent in the gathering of fowls". Thus, the District Director of Education can never claim innocent. It has been alleged that the District Director himself Mr. Michael Tungbani never gave fuel to circuit supervisors (CS) for the whole of last term. This notorious refusal to give fuel in Sissala districts is the most devilish offence. Why? No fuel to CS means that they must not visit schools any longer. Under this condition, who knows what goes on in the school?

The source is fully informed that funds are allocated from Ghana Partnership of Education Grant (GPEG) to cater for the activities of the circuit supervisors. Mr Michael Tungbani, where are all such monies? Some headmasters who spoke to me on condition of anonymity said the whole of last term no CS was seen in their schools. In consequence, I have numerous anonymous callers who alleged by even giving names of head teachers who have now assumed the position of Director-General of GES.

How? These heads allegedly give two- or three-week leave to their members of staff. And in most cases, the beneficiaries are female teachers flirting with the heads. For instance, the head teacher of Bassisan Basic School is known to be flirting with a certain female teacher whom he grants permission to vacate post at her will. Apparently, the said female teacher got married, yet the head teacher sent her a sexy text message. Incidentally, the husband of the sex-for-leave female teacher took her phone and saw the message! This issue is rife and is boiling in Sissala East. Watch out for detail. Some circuit supervisors (names withheld) are also involved in this sex-for-leave business.

Writing of lesson notes now sounds so weird in the ears of many of the teachers. Committed headmasters are now powerless in the face of their teachers for no supervisors visit to inspect their schools. Oh! Sissala East Education officers, what future are you building?

Allegedly, the District Director always uses the office vehicle to the Regional Capital Wa every weekends. Oh! Mr. Commuting director, if you lack an official bungalow to bring your family to live in, then put in a request to the District Assembly. Or is the vehicle an official one or it is for Mr. Tungbani’s private use? Who pays for the fuel that he uses to move to and from Wa every weekends? What about the per diem of the driver? When it comes to fuel for circuit supervisors and monitoring team to move, the usual no-fuel issue is raised, but for fuel to go to Wa every now and then he (the commuting director) suddenly finds some!

Some seasoned educationalists who spoke to me on condition of anonymity said that the Director habitually absents himself from office on Mondays. On Fridays, he leaves office just before or at midday. Somehow effectively therefore, the Director works for only three and half days a week. If a whole District Director of Education will only be seen at work on Tuesdays to mid-Friday, what do we expect of teachers who ride from Tumu to Gwosi? Logically, they will go on Wednesday and return the same day. Dear Director, if Tumu is unconducive for you, just pack your luggage and go to Wa and save the District of its scarce resources.

They say ‘Tell me your friend and I will tell your character.’ Among the Director’s camp are the accountant Mrs Vivian and the storekeeper Mr John Bayor. Both of these officers will equally be absent anytime the boss is nowhere at post. The storekeeper’s unrelenting absence is loudly noticed. Reportedly, a number of head teachers who spoke to me lamented their frustration on the number of days they had to wait at the office for chalk and other teaching aids when the storekeeper is systematically unavailable. You can see him only in office after Mondays. Why? Is he not paid for Mondays?

Because the accountant Mrs. Vivian Paazine is a visiting worker, prospective loan seekers must taste hell before she endorses their loan forms. Apparently a visiting worker with unknown visit schedules, teachers must spend days hovering around the office to detect her arrival. Does she even endorse the forms when she rarely sits to work? Anybody who doubts her continuous absence from work may crosscheck from the attendance book. In this book, her name and signature are as rare as any rare gas! Why surprised at this issue? This lady is a contractor by profession and not an accountant. Watch out for the Part II where you learn about how contracts are awarded in the district. From there, you nod your head severally to confirm that Mrs Vivian is truly a contractor.

The educational pundits who spoke to me anonymously said the corrupt practices of Sissala East District Education officials are a GENERATIONAL SYNDROME. Substantiating their argument, they referred to a mysterious event that happened in 2000 and is never to be rectified. In 2000 & 2001, the District best teacher Hon. Mahamud Daniel never received his award certificate and accompanying items. He was chosen to represent the District on those respective years at the regional level.

In 2006 & ’07, Mr Cuthbert Kuunyem, then the Tumu District Director of Education, called Hon. Mahamud Daniel as his former student to congratulate him on his ever winning of the district best teacher award. But little did Mr Kuunyem know that the award winner himself was somehow unaware of his tremendous achievements. Accordingly, Mr Kuunyem then summoned all those he suspected to have spearheaded those mischievous happenings and questioned them on the whereabouts of the items that were to be given to the best teacher. They couldn't trace them and were shamed to latter! To-date, shame is still on their faces.

Despite receiving the best teacher certificate, Hon. Mahamud was advised by his director and former teacher Mr. Kuunyem to ignore the issue and forge ahead with life. Imagine being a best teacher in 2000 and being aware and then receiving your certificate in 2007. Nowhere in Ghana can this happen except in Sissala East District. For the culprits who spearheaded this saga, they know themselves. They are all still around and working.

Once again, my appeal is to those in position of authority to investigate the issues herein raised and take the necessary action. In particular, the people of Sissala land must not sit unconcerned when the future of our children is being needlessly jeopardized. Magic will never happen from above when we sit unconcerned. The narrow-minded officials who are currently in office and are spearheading these rots are due for retirement in one or two years’ time. How long can we sit and when…? I have a lot which space and time but space and time will never permit me to say all here, so I rest my case.

The author Mr. Prince Justice Ali sentimentally advocates for development and positive change.

Cell: 0204803328

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