Victoria Amoah, Principal of Tepa Nursing and Midwifery Training College
The Tepa Nursing and Midwifery Training College in the Ashanti Region risks closure as the accountant is reported to have absconded with GH¢150,000 meant for the payment of electricity bills.
Luv News checks indicate that continuing students have to endure pitch darkness at night as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cut power to the school due to its indebtedness.
According to Luv News’ Erastus Asare Donkor, the date for freshers to start their program has been postponed from September 12 to 26 due to lack of logistics and money to run the school.
Months after media exposé on the perceived rot there, the accountant Richard Asamoah, the only signatory to the school’s account has abandoned ship while the Principal Victoria Amoah continues in her position.
Activities at the College are grinding to a halt with no funds to purchase logistics and needed materials.
Related: Principal, Accountant of Tepa Midwifery Training College cited in malfeasance
Investigations six months ago uncovered irregularities in admissions and financial transactions at the College.
Luv News checks revealed, among others, shady deals in fuel administration by the management, which is draining the state of huge sums of money into private pockets.
Ministry of Health payment vouchers sighted by the Luv News reporter showed that the Principal spent GH¢29,150 as travel expenses for herself and her driver.
The figure excludes the cost of fuel for three official trips to Accra. A journey to Accra by Madam Amoah and her driver on January 5, 2016, to collect scratch cards for the institution cost GH¢19,450 minus fuel.
On another payment voucher, expenses for similar day’s journey to Accra by the Principal on January 13, 2016, were quoted at GH¢6,700 besides fuel.
Other visits captured saw GH¢3,000 as personal expenses to Accra.
Fuel vouchers intercepted by Luv News also shows that Madam Amoah and the College accountant Richard Asamoah together draw 240 gallons of fuel at the expense of the state every month from Star Oil Company.
Hundreds of fake receipts issued to cover a non-refundable interview and result verification fees paid by applicants between 2012 and 2016 were also discovered in the investigation.
Students have been demanding answers for the whereabouts of over GH¢52,000 they paid as matriculation fees over five years.
According to them, though each student paid GH¢50 between 2011 and 2015, they were never matriculated neither have their monies been refunded to them.
The College has been without a Board for three years and Madam Amoah stands accused of taking unilateral decisions in admissions and allocations of resources in a manner concerned stakeholders say is not transparent.
Related: Principal, 2 others invited by BNI over Tepa Nursing College malfeasance
The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) invited the Principal, Accountant, and Administrator of the school to answer questions on the backdrop of the reports.
The team from the BNI and police went to the College to drop invitation letters for the Principal and the accountant, Richard Asamoah, both of whom were unavailable.
Madam Amoah was not on campus but some sources said Mr Asamoah who was in the washroom at the time of the visit disappeared mysteriously.
Related: Principal of Tepa Nursing Training College debunks fraud allegations
The Principal later came out to dispel reports that she has gone into hiding.
“I saw the news on Monday with allegations levelled against me and my accountant for financial malfeasance of GHC10 million. I want to state that the allegations are not true,” she said.
She explained that she was invited to Accra by the sector Minister to tell him her side of the stories making the rounds.
Public interest advocate, Dr Ernest Kwauku said he is disappointed in the seeming lack of interest by government to investigate happenings at the College.
“In my expectation, I thought the Principal would have been made to step aside while investigations continue,” he said adding some of the evidence gathered against the Principal is incriminating.
He charged the Health Ministry to come out with its reports if it has investigated the issue and state its stance on what is happening in the College.
–Myjoyonline