Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), James Klutse Avedzi, has requested Interpol to issue a red alert for the arrest of a former teacher, Afia Nyarkoah, of the Pantang Nursing and Midwifery Training College.
According to him, the former teacher is purported to be on study leave whiles receiving salary. Following this, she has failed to return after her studies. Speaking at the committee’s hearing today, February 8, 2022, Mr Avedzi explained that she has received unearned salary of about “GHC60,000 and paid GHC10,000”. Authorities present at the committee revealed that it has been difficult tracking Afia Nyarkoah to refund the monies she took from the state.
“… You have to contact the Director of Interpol, provide the necessary information about her… so that they can track her. Afia Nyarkoah who was a teacher at Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Pantang, who left and earned over close to GHC70,000 salary that she knew that she wasn’t entitled and yet she received the money. We are getting the Director of Interpol to track her and get her so that government can retrieve the money. If any relative of hers is listening to us, then they should make the effort and contact the school immediately and make the appropriate arrangement and pay the money. That is the directive of the committee”.
Health minister’s disregard to appear before PAC
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), James Klutse Avedzi , expressed his displeasure over the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu’s continuous disregard for the Committee.
According to him, the health minister failed to appear before the committee in spite of the Committee’s invitation to him. Mr Avedzi revealed that the Committee started work from 2021 to this year, of which Mr Agyeman Manu has granted the Committee’s request once to meet them.
“… He was the one who had been inviting people and when people don’t come, he did not take it lightly. Now he, himself is doing exactly what he was against”.
James Klutse Avedzi
Mr Avedzi’s comments come after the Public Accounts Committee’s consideration of the 2018 Auditors Report that invited the Health Minister, to answer questions under the Health Ministry. However, the minister has failed to keep those appointments.
Commenting on this, Mr. Avedzi noted that the conduct of the Health Minister will be tabled before the House for sanctions particularly over his disrespect for the Committee.
“We have a Ministry which has a Minister and two deputies and none of them will appear before the Committee. You have spent public money, come and account for it. Your name appeared in the report of the Auditor-General which means that there is something wrong, so come and tell us how you would resolve the issue [since you have failed to appear]”.
James Klutse Avedzi
The health minister today, was programmed for conversation on the report before the Public Accounts Committee. As the head of the ministry, Mr Agyemang Manu was expected to turn up and answer the various questions posed by the committee, including all the infractions cited in the 2018 Auditor General’s report.
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