2 accountants embezzle $250,000 yearly at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital - CEO reveals

The CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, has expressed frustration over the lack of accountability for two accountants who were arrested by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) in 2015 but have yet to face justice for their alleged crimes.

According to Dr Ampomah, the two employees embezzled $250,000 annually from the hospital's plastic surgery unit until they were caught in 2015. In an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel 1 TV, Dr Ampomah lamented that challenges within Ghana’s judicial system have allowed the alleged wrongdoers to walk free, nearly nine years after their arrest.

He further expressed frustration with the management of the hospital, noting that there are limited means to deter errant employees beyond issuing queries and reprimands.

In a related development, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has taken decisive action against 18 teachers accused of fraudulently withdrawing a total of GH¢188,000 from government funds using fake certificates. The incident, which has raised serious concerns about accountability and integrity within the educational sector, came to light following an audit by the Auditor-General's Department.

The teachers, who were employed in various schools across the country, allegedly submitted forged educational certificates to secure their positions. These fake qualifications enabled them to access salaries and allowances they were not entitled to, resulting in significant financial losses for the state.

Chairman of the PAC, James Klutse Avedzi, expressed deep concern over the matter, describing it as a clear breach of trust and an affront to the efforts aimed at improving the quality of education in the country. He emphasised that such fraudulent activities not only deplete the nation's resources but also undermine the credibility of the teaching profession.

A report from the Amansie Central Education Directorate indicated that the teachers upgraded themselves without the requisite documents and increased their salaries, resulting in a financial loss of GH¢188,000 to the state. We have been able to collect GH¢34,731.53 and we are left with GH¢152,966.54 and we are on course collecting [the balance]. We did not place [promote those teachers], they did self-upgrading without passing through the office. So it is a backdoor affair, the report stated.

During its recent sittings, the PAC called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other relevant authorities to take immediate steps to recover the stolen funds. The Committee also recommended that the teachers involved be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to engage in similar fraudulent activities.

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