UG internal audit clears SRC President, Isaac Agyemang of embezzlement allegations

The Internal Audit Directorate of the University of Ghana has cleared outgoing president of the University of Ghana Students Representative Council, Isaac Agyemang, of allegations that he misappropriated about GH¢66,000 of student funds.

The University’s Internal Audit, in their report on the SRC’s financial accounts for the first semester of the 2019/2020 academic year, said that it resolved to look into allegations that the Isaac Agyemang-led administration had embezzled money.

However, the claimants, according to the report, could not provide strong basis for the allegations.

It said that those making the allegation relied on information on the draft budget statement of the SRC.

“The audit team also sought for evidence to corroborate an alleged embezzlement of GH¢66,138.00 by some Executives of the SRC. The claimants who failed to substantiate their allegation relied on an information on the draft budget statement which suggested that expected revenue from dues approved by the General Assembly was GH¢365,452.00 and the proposed total expenditure was GH¢431,590.00.

The report added that;

“These budget estimates were inaccurate per available records and could not have been the basis to prove the claim of embezzlement. The approved amount for dues was GH¢375,452.80 and that of aggregate expenditure was GH¢431,090.00. The aggregate figure for actual expenditure as presented in table I also fell short of the total budgeted expenditure.”

In an interview and email exchange, the claimants rather suggested that their bone of contention was with the seemingly constitutional breach perpetrated by the President and the Treasurer of the SRC as a result of their failure to seek the approval of the General Assembly prior to the disbursement of funds for some expenses that were not budgeted for at the start of the first semester. The aggrieved members of the SRC subsequently demanded a disallowance and surcharge.

Inasmuch as we agree with the suggestion that Articlesl4 (5) (a) and 52 (5) of the Constitution of the SRC of the University of Ghana must be complied with when required, the unbudgeted disbursement in the sum of GI-105,800.00 cannot be questioned and was legitimately spent taking into consideration the superior provision stated in Statute 38 (2) (h) of the Statutes of the University of Ghana. In our view, the expenses as presented in table 2 of this report were reasonable, allocable, and allowable,” the report concluded on the matter.

Background

The SRC president, at a General Assembly sitting at the beginning of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year, presented an Income Statement which was characterized by some incoherencies.

The budget statement of the SRC indicated that the house had approved an amount of GH¢365,452 from the SRC dues to cater for expenses of the first semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.

However, the Income Statement presented to the General Assembly on 7th February showed that GH¢ 431,090 had been withdrawn from the dues indicating an excess of GH¢66,138 spent.

Following this discrepancy, there were demands for Isaac Agyemang to give an explanation for the withdrawal and expenditure of the money without due approval.

In defense of the unapproved spendings, SRC Treasurer, Philomena Sarbah Andam said the money is unaccounted for because of the ‘heat in preparations for some SRC programs.

In view of this, the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Godfred Bokpin, instructed the University’s Internal Audit to probe the SRC’s finances.