Information reaching Today from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) indicates that some staff of the institution have allegedly connived with some pupil teachers in the Sekyere South District of the Ashanti region to defraud the state of millions of Ghana cedis.
According to our source, pupil teachers in the Sekyere South District who are entitled to GHC598.09 as monthly salary as enshrined in their contracts have been unlawfully receiving GHC1,798.32 per month as take-home pay.
It came to light that some staff of CAGD conveniently connive with teachers with the understanding that they share the proceeds of the booty at the end of every month.
The staff then put them (Pupil Teachers) on a salary scale which ensures that they are paid GH1,798.32 instead of GH598.09 per month.
The staff of CAGD, through their agents in the district at the end of every month, take a percentage of the puffed up salary as their share of the fraudulent deal.
Today’s checks at the CAGD further revealed that although the issue of fraud against those involved has been reported to management of CAGD as well as the security agencies like the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Economic and Organised Crime (EOCO) since last year, nothing has been done to prosecute those who are alleged to be complicated in the fraudulent deal.
Speaking on Onua 95.1 FM on Tuesday, 22nd March, 2016, a whistle-blower, one Kofi Twumasi, who claimed he used his girlfriend as a conduit to investigate the activities of the ring leader, said to be a staff of the CAGD.
According to him, he got to know about the deal, through one of the beneficiary teachers and decided to investigate by making his girlfriend, who is also a pupil teacher, to enroll on the fraudulent scheme.
He went on to disclose that before his girl friend was enrolled he [Kofi Twumasi] paid a bribe of GHC200.
“I paid GH200 as bribe to these boys to help enroll my girlfriend,” he told the host of Ghana Dadwen on OnuaFM’s afternoon political talk show and explained that after the deal, his girlfriend was upgraded in no time to receive GH1,798.32.00.
According to the whistle blower, his life was under threat.