The Auditor-General has directed the management of the Ho Technical University in the Volta Region to recover a total of GHS110,651.04 from five former staff who resigned without giving the institution the mandated three months prior notice.
According to the Auditor-General, the five ex-staff, comprising, four lecturers and one principal administrative assistant, were employed between October and September 2020, but “resigned from their positions without giving the three months or six months prior notice as stipulated in the terms and conditions of their appointment.”
“In the absence of giving the three or six months’ notice, the affected staff were required to pay a total amount of GHS110,651.04 representing the salaries in lieu of notice. We recommend to management to recover the GHS110,651.04 from the officers without further delay,” the report noted.
The Auditor-General’s office gave the directive because it believes the practice of vacation of post by members of staff without prior notice could negatively impact the academic output of the university.
This was contained in a report titled: “Report of the Auditor-General on the public accounts of Ghana: Technical Universities for the period ended 31 December 2020”.
The Auditor-General also directed the university to take steps to recover an amount of GHS93,905.20 from some 11 former staff of the school who had either resigned or passed on.
Page 48 of the document reads: “Management explained that the Controller & Accountant-General was notified to delete the names of the separated staff from the payroll. Furthermore, their bankers were instructed to place an embargo on the salaries. However, both the Controller and the banks failed to take action, resulting in unearned salaries.”
The Auditor General’s office further recommended to management to pursue the recovery of the amount from the officers or families concerned and for the retrieved funds to be paid to the University.
