Another Dirty Report Gathers Dust On Minister’s Table

…Non-Formal Education Staff, Controller Office, Others Fingered

The Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, appears to be off the job, while many reports and petitions submitted to his office for attention continue to gather dust.

Barely a week after The Anchor reported bon a petition submitted to the minister, since 2021, alleging among others a sexual harassment accusation against the boss of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA), formerly called Non-Formal Education Division, the paper has intercepted yet another such report.

Interestingly, officials implicated in these reports are yet to be invited for questioning due to the seeming inaction or lack of interest in the matter by the sector minister.

Even though the latest report does not directly cite Mr. Francis Asumadu, the Director-General of CEA, other top officials at his outfit were mentioned for indulging in massive extortion of money for migration and promotions.

The migration and promotion exercises, which had brought some discrimination and agitation among staff of the agency, forced a concerned staff identified as Abdul-Mashud Murtala to blow the cover, alleging that money had exchanged hands.

This led to the Welfare Association of the Complementary Education Agency to set up a committee which established that indeed there were irregularities with the migration and the promotion of staff onto the Civil and Local Government Service.

The allegation of irregular migration and promotions was deep-rooted and affected many regions, as well as the headquarters of the agency.

Large sums of money, according to the committee’s report, were extorted from staff who wanted these migration and promotions.

Portions of this money were also said to have been paid to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, the Head of Civil Service and the Complementary Education Agency.

“An amount of Nine Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GH₵9,750.00) was alleged to have been given to Head of Civil Service, Controller and Accountant General’s Department and Non-Formal Education Division (Complementary Education Agency). There is an audio to that effect and in that audio, was even made known on how those monies were even going to be distributed. Mr.Seidu Abdallah (0549825232) confirmed what was in the audio and further claimed that they also paid One Hundred Ghana Cedis (100.00) each to facilitate the two processes. The committee tried to get Mr. Moses Abugri and Mogre to hear their side of the story but to no avail.

Interestingly, Mr.Mogre had wanted to collect an additional One Hundred Ghana Cedis (100.00) from the promoted staff before handing over their promotion letter to them but the Deputy Executive Director of CEA in charge of Support Services heard of it and stepped in to stop them,” the report said in parts.

But months after the findings of the three-member committee were submitted to the minister, no action has been taken.

Officials implicated in the report, The Anchor gathered, are still walking about as though nothing had happened.

Documents in the possession of The Anchor show the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NFED Welfare Association issued a White Paper accepting all the recommendations in a modified form following which it was forwarded to the minister.

The letter to Dr.Adutwum, sighted by this paper, dated February 8, 2023 and copied to many others, including the acting Chief Director at the Ministry of Education, said, “With reference to the letter dated 17th October, 2022 with reference number 04/10/ Dir to the Executive Director of the Complementary Education Agency captioned “Committee of Inquiry” and a copy to you, we humbly write to inform you that the Committee had completed and submitted its report and a White Paper had been issued by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NFED Welfare Association.

We hereby submit the Report of the Committee of Inquiry and the White Paper issued by NEC to you for your personal and necessary action.”

The committee, which toured a number of regions and districts, was tasked to inquire into matters relating to the alleged irregularities that were brought to the attention of the association in connection with the migration of staff unto the Civil Service Salary Structure and staff promotions, in particular.

According to the three-member committee, chaired by the District Coordinator, Complementary Education Agency, George EboCrentsil, the allegations were founded and it suggested recommendations to punish perpetrators and stem future occurrence.

The committee’s report dated December 12, 2022 confirmed the allegation by Abdul-Mashud Murtala.

It said, “Truly not all staff have been migrated” and “not all Programme Assistants were promoted.”

Among others, the report added that “Some Programme Officers were promoted to Senior Programme Officers, Chief Programme Assistants and Deputy Chief Programme Assistants,” among others.

Additionally, it said “Some staff members at the NFED Headquarters were promoted to the grade of Chief Programme Officers with its corresponding grade in Civil and Local Government Service as Principal Programme Officers with some jumping grades.” “Extortion of money from staff took place” and also “conflict of interest took place.”

The committee in its eight-point recommendations advised that instead of some staff being migrated and others being left out, “all staff should be migrated.”

Furthermore, the committee also indicated that, “Officers who extorted monies should be demoted to at least two grades lower than their rank to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Under no circumstances should there be any jumping of grades as far as promotions are concerned. Staff who jumped grades should have their promotions reversed to their appropriate ranks below their wrongful grade.”

Source: Anchorghana.com