In accordance with the Auditor-report, General’s senior management and other supporting staff at the Ministry of Information were paid GH151,500 as a Covid-19 risk allowance for showing up to work during the lockdown.
The payment was made without the Chief of Staff’s approval, according to the report, which has sparked outrage among Ghanaians.
“During our review, we noted that senior management staff and other supporting staff of the Ministry of Information paid themselves a total amount of G111151,500.00 as COVID-19 risk allowance for coming to work during the lockdown period contrary to the above Presidential directives and without approval from the Office of Chief of Staff,” the Auditor General’s report says in part.
As a result, the AG is requesting that the funds be recovered, emphasizing that Regulation 78 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 states that the Principal Spending Officer of a covered entity must personally ensure that payments made on behalf of that covered entity are valid, accurate, and legal. In addition, the officer must ensure that there is proof of services rendered, a certificate for completed work, and any other supporting documentation.
“We recommended that the amount of CH1151,500.00 should be recovered from the beneficiary staff and paid into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries account.”
Only health workers were eligible for risk allowance during the covid-19 lockdown.
President Akufo-Addo announced an insurance package on April 5, 2020, with a guaranteed sum of G111350,000 for each health personnel and Allied Professional at the forefront of the covid-19 fight, as well as a daily allowance of CHC150.00 paid to contact tracers.
The President also stated that for the next three months, April, May, and June, all health workers will not be required to pay taxes on their earnings. He also stated that all frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of 50% of their basic salary during the months of March, April, May, and June.
