PAC directs Koforidua Technical University to deactivate bank accounts

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has begun its sitting in Ho with a directive to the Koforidua Technical University to deactivate some bank accounts.

It has been operating the accounts without approval from the Controller and Accountant General.

The Committee, chaired by Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, Deputy Minority Leader, is looking into Auditor General’s reports on the various district assemblies and educational institutions in the Volta and Eastern Regions for the year ending 2015/2016.

A “Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences” account at the Agricultural Development Bank, which had the Vice Chancellor, Dean of Faculty and Director of Finance, as signatories, was opened without the consent of Controller and Accountant General.

The University was also operating four other fixed deposit accounts with different financial institutions.

Mr. Samuel Atta Mills, a member of the Committee said such acts should not be allowed because that could encourage others with access to funds to operate separate bank accounts at will.

Other issues captured in the report included the adoption of new accounting software without the approval of regulators, and the engagement of a lecturer with a fake Masters Degree for nine years.

A total of GH¢201, 065.92 was paid as emoluments over the period to the lecturer who later rose to the position of Dean of Faculty of Business and Management Studies.

Management of the Ho Technical University also appeared before the Committee to answer for an amount of GH¢81,332.00 in staff loans, and the payment of GH¢300,000.00 to a contractor working on a GETFUND project, all from its Internally Generated Funds.

The week-long sitting would also engage heads of the various assemblies and pre -university educational institutions in the two regions.

Source: GNA