Accountant-General denies allegation

...paying salaries of NAGRAT members into private account

Accra, Feb. 29, GNA - The Controller and Accountant General's Department (CAGD) on Friday denied that seized October 2006 salaries of members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) who were on strike were deposited into a private account. A statement from the Public Relations Unit of CAGD said the seized salaries were still in the Consolidated Fund.

It said the CAG was mandated by the Financial Administration Act, 2003 (Act 654) to provide custody, safety and integrity of the Consolidated Fund and other public funds under its care. "The stoppage of the October, 2006 salary was therefore effected, based on a directive from the Ghana Education Service Council," the statement said.

"The CAGD also wishes to state that the payment of salaries is done based on inputs made onto the payroll system by the various Ministries, Department and Agencies."

It said the CAGD only stopped salaries with authorization from by the MDAs concerned and added that the October 2006 salaries were still in the Consolidated Fund from which all government salaries were paid. "The CAGD wishes to advise the leadership of the Greater Accra Regional branch of NAGRAT to contact the Department anytime they are in doubt of any of its functions, duties or decisions and to desist from making such unfounded allegations in the future". The Greater Accra Regional Branch of NAGRAT alleged a couple of weeks ago that they had information indicating that the seized salaries were deposited into a private account.