The University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) has accused the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, of unethical conduct and misleading the public with his report on the university’s payroll audit.
According to the association, the Auditor-General’s report claimed that there was an employee compensation overstatement of GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024.
The UG chapter of UTAG insists that, for this reason, the Auditor-General should resign for producing what it described as a “misleading and unethical audit report on the university’s payroll.”
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday [May 20], the Secretary of the UG chapter of UTAG, Jerry Joe Harrison, criticised the Auditor-General’s report, which alleged that the university had overstated employee compensation by GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024.
“For the Auditor-General to sit in his office and preside over such an institution that disregards ethical standards and practices, we are hereby calling for his resignation — or we will petition the President for his removal,” Harrison said.
The association expressed disapproval of what it described as a breach of professional ethics, noting that the university was not given the opportunity to respond to or clarify the findings prior to the report’s publication. According to UTAG-UG, this omission constitutes a serious violation of due process.
Mr. Harrison further alleged that the report is being used for political manipulation and accused some media outlets of consistently misrepresenting the university’s operations.
He described the Auditor-General’s conduct as unprofessional and unbefitting of someone in his position.
“It appears to us that the Audit Service is more interested in appearing to be working than in doing the right thing, and in so doing, they ignore the ethical standards that guide their profession,” he added.
UTAG-UG defended the legitimacy of the salary payments identified in the audit, insisting they were made under legally sanctioned agreements and were necessary due to structural challenges, including staff attrition, delayed subventions, and government restrictions on recruitment.
The association also called on the National Media Commission to take action against what it termed “low-standard journalism,” which, in its view, has unfairly tarnished the university’s reputation.
UTAG-UG asserted that the Auditor-General’s actions have eroded public trust and called for accountability. “For ethical breaches of this magnitude, we believe the Auditor-General should be removed from office,” Harrison affirmed.
Source: Graphic Online
