Mimi Darko
The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has refuted the claim that some six former staff of the Authority continued to earn salaries even after resigning and retiring as captured in the 2020 report of the Auditor-General.
According to the AG’s report, which has been published by some websites it stated that “We noted that six former staff of the Authority who became separated by way of resignation and retirement in 2018 and 2019 were paid salaries, leading to an unearned salary of GH¢32,840.35”.
The anomaly, according to the report, “was as a result of the management’s inaction from the moment the salaries became unearned to notify the bank to stop the payment of the salary”.
The report noted that the “failure to inform the bank promptly had resulted in the unearned salary which is a drain on the nation’s finances”.
However, the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Mrs Delese A. A. Darko, in a statement noted that “the FDA wishes to state for the records that its Principal Spending Officer (Chief Executive Officer) and the Management of the Authority by the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (ACT 921), duly notified the Controller and Accountant General’s Office of the resignation/retirement of the staff involved.
Subsequently, when the attention of management was drawn to the continuous payment of these salaries, Management wrote to the individual staff involved who have since refunded their monies.”
The FDA, therefore, assured the public that it will continue to collaborate with relevant state institutions to ensure that no public funds are lost to the state in this regard.
Below is the full statement:
FDA/CSD/CPE/PRS/21/0015
For Immediate Release: 15th August 2021
RE: SIX EX-STAFF OF FDA EARNED GH₵32K AS SALARIES-AG
Our attention has been drawn to some news items that have been gleaned from the 2020 Auditor-General’s report recently presented to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
The FDA wishes to state for the records that its Principal Spending Officer (Chief Executive Officer) and the Management of the Authority by the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (ACT 921), duly notified the Controller and Accountant General’s Office of the resignation/retirement of the staff involved.
Subsequently, when the attention of management was drawn to the continuous payment of these salaries, Management wrote to the individual staff involved who have since refunded their monies.
The FDA, therefore, wishes to assure the public that it will continue to collaborate with relevant state institutions to ensure that no public funds are lost to the state in this regard.
Signed
Delese A. A. Darko
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
BY Daniel Bampoe