...His salary and allowances were his due
Accra, July 17, GNA - The Auditor-General has said there are no improprieties in the salary and allowances of the Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby.
"We found that the monthly salary and allowances paid to Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby were in accordance with the terms and conditions of his employment," the Auditor-General said in its final report on investigations into alleged irregularities against the VRA Chief Executive.
The report obtained by the GNA on Thursday said all accountable imprest granted to the Chief Executive for his foreign travels were accounted for and retired in full.
"The allegation that he took 14,000 dollars as accountable imprest on his foreign trip but did not account for it was false," it said. The Auditor-General said the President requested an investigation in response to the increasing levels of complaint and considerable public interest in the affairs of VRA following allegations of impropriety, fraudulent conduct and mismanagement against Dr Wereko-Brobby, and in pursuance of the Constitution.
The Auditor-General's investigations covered six areas:
- Unauthorised drawing of salary and allowances by the Chief Executive.
- Unauthorised allowances and other expenses paid to the members of the Board of Directors.
- Impropriety in the award of contracts for the procurement of motor vehicles and electronic computers.
- Impropriety in the award of contracts for consultancy services.
- Mismanagement of the Authority's resources leading to reduction in revenue and financial loss.
- Impropriety in the award of contract for the Strategic Reserve Power
The Auditor-General said it found that amounts of over 10,300 dollars, 2,000 pounds and 38.8 million cedis standing in the names of some senior staff had not been accounted for.
Notable among them, it said, were 10,396.52 dollars and 2,078 pounds that had remained outstanding since 1999 in the name of Mr Andrews Addy, Director, Legal Services, which was subject of a Committee of Enquiry set up by the VRA in the early part of 2003.
The Report said the Board did not follow the provisions of the Volta River Development Act 1961 (Act 46) with respect to the conditions of their appointment and payment of allowances.
"The current Board, which was appointed in November 2001 followed the precedent set by the previous Boards and approved for its members a number of allowances without reference to the Office of the President." The Auditor-General said the allegation that the VRA paid the medical bills of the Chairman of the Board, Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, for overseas treatment was false.
"The Authority rather paid the medical bill of the former Chairman, Mr Ato Ahwoi amounting to 57,259.32 dollars and Mr E.A.K. Kalitsi's short course fee at Harvard amounting to 18,858.25 dollars."
On procurement of motor vehicles and computers, the Auditor-General said it found that the decision to purchase motor vehicles and computers was a collective one that was taken by the Chief Executive and the entire Management to meet the critical need of the Directors and other users.
"The allegation that Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby obtained financial gain through the purchase of 74 Terrano Mark II vehicles for his personal benefit was totally false.
"We found that Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby is using a Volvo saloon car, which cost 38,000 dollars. We were informed that his immediate predecessor was using a BMW top range saloon car which cost 95,000 dollars four years earlier."
On allegations that the Chief Executive awarded consultancy contracts mainly by sole sourcing, the report said: "We found that the Chief Executive followed the precedent set by the previous administration." It said it found that since 1997, out of 18 contracts that were awarded by the previous chief executives, 16 were sole sourced and only two were put on competitive tender. In 1977, for example, a contract valued at almost three million pounds was awarded on sole source basis. It said it found the profile of Mr Ben Sackey, who was appointed by the Chief Executive on contract, as competent for the contract.
...His salary and allowances were his due
Accra, July 17, GNA - The Auditor-General has said there are no improprieties in the salary and allowances of the Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby.
"We found that the monthly salary and allowances paid to Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby were in accordance with the terms and conditions of his employment," the Auditor-General said in its final report on investigations into alleged irregularities against the VRA Chief Executive.
The report obtained by the GNA on Thursday said all accountable imprest granted to the Chief Executive for his foreign travels were accounted for and retired in full.
"The allegation that he took 14,000 dollars as accountable imprest on his foreign trip but did not account for it was false," it said. The Auditor-General said the President requested an investigation in response to the increasing levels of complaint and considerable public interest in the affairs of VRA following allegations of impropriety, fraudulent conduct and mismanagement against Dr Wereko-Brobby, and in pursuance of the Constitution.
The Auditor-General's investigations covered six areas:
- Unauthorised drawing of salary and allowances by the Chief Executive.
- Unauthorised allowances and other expenses paid to the members of the Board of Directors.
- Impropriety in the award of contracts for the procurement of motor vehicles and electronic computers.
- Impropriety in the award of contracts for consultancy services.
- Mismanagement of the Authority's resources leading to reduction in revenue and financial loss.
- Impropriety in the award of contract for the Strategic Reserve Power
The Auditor-General said it found that amounts of over 10,300 dollars, 2,000 pounds and 38.8 million cedis standing in the names of some senior staff had not been accounted for.
Notable among them, it said, were 10,396.52 dollars and 2,078 pounds that had remained outstanding since 1999 in the name of Mr Andrews Addy, Director, Legal Services, which was subject of a Committee of Enquiry set up by the VRA in the early part of 2003.
The Report said the Board did not follow the provisions of the Volta River Development Act 1961 (Act 46) with respect to the conditions of their appointment and payment of allowances.
"The current Board, which was appointed in November 2001 followed the precedent set by the previous Boards and approved for its members a number of allowances without reference to the Office of the President." The Auditor-General said the allegation that the VRA paid the medical bills of the Chairman of the Board, Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, for overseas treatment was false.
"The Authority rather paid the medical bill of the former Chairman, Mr Ato Ahwoi amounting to 57,259.32 dollars and Mr E.A.K. Kalitsi's short course fee at Harvard amounting to 18,858.25 dollars."
On procurement of motor vehicles and computers, the Auditor-General said it found that the decision to purchase motor vehicles and computers was a collective one that was taken by the Chief Executive and the entire Management to meet the critical need of the Directors and other users.
"The allegation that Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby obtained financial gain through the purchase of 74 Terrano Mark II vehicles for his personal benefit was totally false.
"We found that Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby is using a Volvo saloon car, which cost 38,000 dollars. We were informed that his immediate predecessor was using a BMW top range saloon car which cost 95,000 dollars four years earlier."
On allegations that the Chief Executive awarded consultancy contracts mainly by sole sourcing, the report said: "We found that the Chief Executive followed the precedent set by the previous administration." It said it found that since 1997, out of 18 contracts that were awarded by the previous chief executives, 16 were sole sourced and only two were put on competitive tender. In 1977, for example, a contract valued at almost three million pounds was awarded on sole source basis. It said it found the profile of Mr Ben Sackey, who was appointed by the Chief Executive on contract, as competent for the contract.
