Auditor-General Chases Health Ministry's Auctioneer to Cough up 50k

A recent Auditor-General's report has also indicted an auctioneer, Mr. Felix Aduajoe of Shelter Mart, Adentan, Accra, for pocketing more than half of proceeds realized from the sale of properties belonging to the Ministry of Health.

According to the report, Mr. Aduajoe paid only GHc19, 625 to the Consolidated Fund despite selling the properties at GH¢44,125.

The report however failed to state exactly when the properties were auctioned but it is believed it was done in the year 2014.

Mr. Aduajoe has been surcharged according to the Auditor-Generals report and is to refund a little over GHc50, 000 back to the State.

“In accordance with Article 187(7)(b) of the 1992 Constitution, the Auditor-General disallowed and surcharged Mr. Aduajoe an amount of GH¢24,500.00 and GH¢25,535.86 respectively bringing the total amount of GH¢50,035.86 to be refunded into the Consolidated Fund,” the Auditor-General stated in a special audit report on disallowance and surcharge as at November 30, 2018.

Auditor-General blocks unearned salaries

Still in the health sector, some persons who were no longer working within the Health Service but were earning salaries according to the report were stopped and have been surcharged.

“Our audit of the accounts of two Health institutions disclosed that as at December 2013, three persons who had separated from the institutions for periods ranging between one and fourteen months had their names on the payroll and were accordingly paid a total unearned salary of GH¢109,705.83. This was contrary to Regulation 297 and 298 of the FAR, 2004, (L.I. 1802).”

“The Auditor-General therefore disallowed the unearned salary of GH¢109,705.83 and surcharged the three persons. Two of the officers, Dr. Otis Sarpong and Dr. Salomey Mensah, however refunded a total amount of GH¢58,653.49 but were still surcharged for delayed payments.”

The audit report said the three officers were accordingly surcharged a total amount of GH¢114,453.30 resulting in a total indebtedness of GH¢224,159.13.

“The third person, Dr. Jacob Yangyouru later refunded GH¢51,618.03 of the indebtedness to EOCO exhibit account no. 1018631472265 at the Bank of Ghana, leaving a difference of GH¢59,204.58.”

The audit reporter noted that two persons whose duty it was to stop block the unearned salary situation but failed to do so have also been surcharged.

“Two more other persons, Mr. Tanko Iddi Abdulai, the Hospital Administrator, and Mr. Osei Yaw Kwarteng, the Head of Finance of the Government Hospital, Bechem who failed to exercise their responsibilities for stoppage of the salary of Dr. Jacob Yangyouru were jointly surcharged with the amount of GH¢59,204.58.”

GH¢168,360.65 in falsification of store requisition and issues

The Auditor-General's report also said it has surcharged some managers of stores belonging to the National Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre, said to have misappropriated store items amounting to GH¢100,976.00 for the year ended 31^st December 2014.

“Mr. Alex A. Asare and Mr. William Afenyo, Head of Stores and Stores Assistant respectively, misappropriated store items amounting to GH¢100,976.00 contrary to Regulation 182 and 183 of the FAR, 2004, L.I. 1802. 26. The two officials were jointly issued with a certificate of disallowance and surcharge for a total amount of GH¢168,360.65 being GH¢100,976.00 as the amount misappropriated and a surcharge amount of GH¢67,384.65,” the audit report added.

Auditor-General retrieves GHc67m from surcharges

Ghana continues to lose millions of cedis every year due to financial irregularities by Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Auditor General's Department in the same report said it has retrieved about GHc67 million arising from monies paid back to the State from institutions who committed financial infractions between 2013 and November 2018.

The Auditor-General in the report said the amount was as a result of follow-up on recommendations in its previous reports.

EOCO helping Audit Service retrieve GHC500m surcharges – Domelevo

Meanwhile, the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, says his outfit has engaged the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to help recover some GHc500 million from individuals and institutions who misappropriated state funds.

---citinewsroom