A serving Accounts Officer at the Parliament of Ghana has been linked to a GH¢139,710 payroll irregularity uncovered at the Sefwi Akontombra District Assembly, prompting the Public Accounts Committee to escalate the matter for further action.

The issue came up during a committee sitting on Monday, April 20, where officials of the Assembly responded to findings in the Auditor-General’s report on unearned salary payments.

According to the Assembly, the irregular payments involve three officers who were on secondment between 2022 and 2024 but continued to receive salaries despite not being in active service at the Assembly during that period.

Auditors have recommended that the funds be recovered from the individuals concerned. However, the Assembly told the Committee that efforts to retrieve the money have so far been unsuccessful, despite repeated attempts to reach the affected officers and their institutions.

Attention has particularly focused on one of the officers, who now serves as an Accounts Officer at Parliament. The Assembly indicated it had written to both the officer and the Clerk of Parliament but had not received any response.

Members of the Committee expressed concern over the matter, especially given the officer’s current position within the legislative service.

Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, subsequently directed that the Clerk of Parliament be formally notified to ensure proper follow-up and recovery of the funds.

The Committee is expected to pursue further engagement with the relevant institutions as part of efforts to resolve the irregularity.