PAC orders recovery of GHghs17,000 disability allowance paid to able-bodied teacher

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Donkorkrom District Education Office to recover more than GH¢17,000 in allowances wrongly paid to an able-bodied teacher under the Physically Challenged Transport Allowance scheme.

According to the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report, Stephen Akomeah, a Senior Superintendent II at Adeemmra R/C Primary School, unlawfully received allowances totaling GH¢17,703.28 between June 2021 and May 2024, despite not being physically challenged.

The Auditor-General had earlier recommended that the District Director of Education recover the full sum, with interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate, and pay it into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries Account.

However, the money remains uncollected.

When officials from the Donkorkrom GES appeared before the Committee on Friday, August 22, 2025, they failed to explain how Akomeah was wrongly classified and allowed to benefit from the allowance for nearly three years.

Following a heated exchange, the Committee Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare, issued a strict directive:

“The District Director of Education must ensure the recovery of the full amount with interest within 30 days or risk personally refunding the money.”