Petition To TTAG Judicial Committee

THE CHAIRPERSON
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE
TEACHER TRAINEES' ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TTAG) ACCRA.

Dear Sir,

PETITION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED MISSING WHOPPING AMOUNT AS TTAG DUES AND MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.

Introduction:

The Petitioners are Immediate Past National officers of the 2017/2018 TTAG year. They are Mr. Agboni, Nicholas Kelvin (Former National General Secretary) and Mr. Ekow Paintsil Djan (Former Dep. National Secretary).

This petition has become necessary for the Association to, as a matter of urgency, investigate an alleged TTAG dues which was not accounted for in accordance with the financial statement presented to the 23^rd Delegates' Congress held at Ada College of Education, Ada Foah by the Former National Financial Secretary, Mr. Rudolf Kporgbe Enam and also misappropriation of funds during our tenure of office.

Statement of allegations

1. In our (Petitioners) first and only meeting with the Management and Staff of the Students' Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) on Monday, 19^th February, 2018, we were informed by the Chief Executive Officer of SLTF, Mr. Nana Kwaku Agyei Yeboah that allowances were to paid to forty-six thousand (46,000) trainee teachers throughout the 2017/2018 academic year. By this number, the expected amount of TTAG dues was GH₵ 1,288,000.00
2. In an address delivered by Mr. Kofi Abew Nkrumah, the Principal Operations Manager (Head of Operations) at SLTF during the opening ceremony of the 23^rd Delegates' Congress of the Association indicated that an amount of GH₵ 78.1 million has been paid to forty seven thousand, eight hundred and seventy-three (47,873) trainee teachers as allowances throughout the academic year by the Government of the Republic of Ghana. By this number the expected amount of TTAG dues is GH₵ 1,340,444. 00
3. The National Financial Secretary, Mr Rudolf Kporgbe Enam presented a Financial Statement of the Association to Delegates' Congress. In the statement, Mr. Kporgbe indicated that a total amount of GH₵ 1,203,972.00 as TTAG dues was paid by the SLTF throughout the academic year. By this amount, a total number of Forty-two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine (42,999) trainee teachers received allowances.
4. It must also be noted that the Finance Minister of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Kenneth Ofori-Atta presented the 2018 Mid-year review budget statement to the Parliament of Ghana on Thursday, 19^th July, 2018. In the statement, the Finance Minister indicated that an amount of GH₵ 177,511,600.00 has been allocated for the payment of 49,032 trainee teachers' allowances. He further stated that GH₵ 78,451, 200.00 was released for ONLY second semester. [See page 37, item 169 of the Mid-year review budget statement, 2018]. The expected TTAG dues, therefore, is GH₵ 1,372, 896.00
5. The Petitioners in consultation with Student Representative Councils (SRCs) of forty-one (41) public Colleges of Education observed that the total number of students who were eligible to receive allowances were forty-six thousand, four hundred and twenty-five (46, 425). It should be noted that five more colleges were later added to benefit from the allowances. These Colleges were St. Vincent, Methodist, Bia Lamplighter, McCoy and SDA Colleges of Education. The above listed Colleges were not part of the 41 Colleges we consulted.
6. The figures put across by the Government of Ghana, the Student Loan Trust Fund and the Financial Secretary of TTAG have witnessed great contradictions to each other.
7. Considering the difference of figures put up by the Finance Minister and the Financial controllers of TTAG i.e. GH₵ 1,372, 896.00 and GH₵ 1,203,972.00 respectively, the alleged TTAG dues that was not accounted for is GH₵ 168, 924.00
8. Considering the difference of figures put up by the Finance Minister and the Student Loan Trust Fund i.e. GH₵ 1,372, 896.00 and GH₵ 1,340,444. 00 respectively, an amount of GH₵ 32, 452 did not find its way into the account of the Association.
9. We herein call on the Committee to swiftly investigate to retrieve the alleged missing TTAG dues of the Association.
10. The Petitioners also write to request for payment receipts made by SLTF to TTAG as well as Bank statements of the Association's account.
11. The Committee is herein notified that the Immediate Past President Mr. Jonathan Apam, the Immediate Past Coordinator Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Asiedu and the Immediate Past Financial Secretary Mr. Rudolf Kporgbe Enam opened a new account with now defunct UniBank without the knowledge of other national officers and the entire National Executive Council which is against section 51 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, Act 921 and the Constitution of the Association.
12. The new account created at now defunct UniBank was presented to the SLTF for the payment of the TTAG dues without the knowledge of other national officers and the entire National Executive Council.
13. Our checks reveal that TTAG dues were paid into the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Kaneshie Branch for four months. The last time monies were withdrawn from the account was on 30th August, 2018.
14. Our checks also reveal that Mr. Jonathan Apam single-handedly wrote to the Student Loan Trust Fund to change the Association's account from ADB to now defunct UniBank on 28^th May, 2018.
15. The SRCs in the Colleges of Education have received just three out of seven months of their component of the TTAG dues with arrears.
16. The various sectors of TTAG have received five out of seven months of their component of the TTAG dues with arrears.
17. The other national officers, apart from the signatories to the Association's bank account do not know the whereabouts of the remaining components for both Local TTAG and Sectors of TTAG
18. It must be put on record that National officers, apart from Jonathan Apam, Rudolf Kporgbe Enam and Emmanuel Kwabena Asiedu, do not know the exact amount received from SLTF as TTAG dues, the amount paid into the defunct account at UniBank and how it was disbursed to the Local TTAG and the Sectors of TTAG
19. It must also be noted that some SRC Presidents of their various Colleges of Education received their local components /Mechanization of the dues through their personal bank accounts.
20. Some items were purchased without due consultation with and subsequent approval by the entire National Executive Council of the Association. This act is against the Procurement Act, Act 914. We call for the investigation of all procurement breaches.
21. An amount of GH₵ 36,500.00 was allocated for a trip to the Republic of China by the Immediate Past President and the Immediate Past National Administrator, Mr. Jonathan Apam and Larry Kofi Agbador respectively. It is on record that Mr. Apam was not part of the said trip. The said amount is too huge for a single person's trip to China and must therefore be reviewed.
22. The Audit Committee Chaired by Mr. Yassir Mohammed presented an audit report to Congress. We commend their good work and call on the Judicial Committee to consider the Audit Committee's report especially points (1), (3), (4), (6), (8) and other points the Judicial Committee finds it necessary.
23. The amount GH₵ 18, 200.00 spent on fuel for the TTAG car is too huge. The car is used as a private car and not commercial. It moves only when the need arises. This, we have realized, is misappropriation of funds.
24. The Immediate Past Financial Secretary claims an amount of GH₵ 39,747.00 was spent on repairs and maintenance of the car. We see this amount to be too huge, as such, investigations should be conducted to see the nitty-gritty of this unnecessary spending.
25. We pray the Committee to publishe its findings.
26. The Committee is herein prayed to forward all findings to the Special Prosecutor, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Police for subsequent prosecution of persons found culpable.

Conclusion:

We herein call on the Judicial Committee of the Association and the entire National Executive Council to assist in investigation to unearth the truth and retrieve all unaccounted for monies and subsequent prosecution of persons found culpable. Our evidences are intact and we are ready to assist to ensure that there is justice. We would like to reiterate that we trust in the competence, credibility, fairness and the good work of the members of the Judicial Committee of our noble Association (TTAG) hence ask for a proper work by the Committee.

Attached to this petition are references and evidences.

References:

1. 2018 Mid-year review budget
2. Financial Statement of the Immediate past Financial Secretary
3. Audio Recordings
4. Audit Committee Report, 2018

We count on you for a good work. Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

ISSUED: WEDNESDAY, 20TH MARCH, 2019.

Cc: The CEO, Students' Loan Trust Fund
The President, Teacher Trainees' Association of Ghana