The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has confirmed that monies paid to some Members of Parliament (MPs) as overpaid salaries have been refunded.
The Kintampo South MP, Alexander Gyan; Pru West MP, Stephen Jalulah; and MP for Salaga North, Alhassan Iddi were said to have been overpaid a total of GH¢280,008.90 in the year 2021.
While the Kintampo South MP and Pru West MP were allegedly paid GH¢119,004.45 each in excess of their salaries by the CAGD, Salaga North MP was overpaid GH¢42,000, covering their tenure as DCEs and MPs.
In separate memos dated January 28, 2022, and signed by the Chief Accountant, Charlotte Obro-Adibo, the CAGD acknowledged receipt of the amounts involved, saying that they have been paid back to government chest.
The memo in respect of the Kintampo South MP said, “This is to confirm that an amount of GH¢119,004.45 in favour of Hon. Gyan Alexander has been paid back to government chest.”
It continued, “The amount represents salary that has been returned to chest by GCB, Tantra Hill Branch into CAGD Suspense Account at Bank of Ghana, Accra.”
For Mr. Stephen Jalulah, the memo indicated that the MP paid back his money into the CAGD Suspense Account at BoG through one Charles T. Banyu.
The memo for the Salaga North MP indicated a similar statement for his return of the GH¢42,000.
In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, the MPs explained that the overpayment was a result of their transition from the District Chief Executive (DCE) positions to MPs.
“When we realised that we had been overpaid in August 2021, those of us involved came together and reported the development to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to stop the payment, and we refunded the monies in October 2021,” Mr Gyan stated.
The Pru West MP, who even expressed shock about the latest report, said they returned the monies into government chest 75 days before the CAGD notified Parliament that they had been overpaid.
Meanwhile, the Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro MP, Sylvester Tetteh, who was mentioned in media publication as having taken salaries as a former CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has rejected claims he received a double salary.
According to him, the CAGD only started processing his salary during his tenure as CEO of the NYA after he was sworn in as MP, insisting that he indeed earned the salaries paid to him.
He said that he worked at the NYA for 26 months without pay, stressing, “I have never drawn a double salary. I am a man of integrity.”
“When I was appointed CEO of the National Youth Authority, I worked for over 26 months for the authority, and I was never paid a salary until I resigned,” he emphasised.
The pro-NDC civil society group, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability, which brought up the issue, accused him and the other NPP MPs of having taken double salaries.