NASS Headmaster is innocent - GES team

Nkroful (W/R), Sept. 14 GNA - An investigative team set up by the Western Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) said Mr Joe Ocloo Nyamadi, Headmaster of the Nkroful Agricultural Secondary School (NASS) was innocent of any wrong doing.

It further noted that, the headmaster did not misconduct himself in the management of the school's finances and had no hand in the purchase of a school anniversary cloth.

Mrs Justina Fiakpornu, Western Regional Director of Education made these known at a stakeholders meeting at Nkroful on Tuesday. She said a five-member committee under the chairmanship of Ms. Rosemond Blay, Ahanta West District Director of Education, was formed to investigate allegations of fraud, misappropriation of funds and other malpractices in the school, as reported by the Crusading Guide in its 7-13 July edition.

She said the committee sat between the 11th and 18th of July and submitted its report on 8th August, this year.

Mrs. Fiakpornu however, said Mr Mawuli Kwadzo Atta Bekui, a former headmaster of the school, presently the headmaster of Half Assini Secondary School, must refund a total of 38.764 million cedis to the school.

It is part of the cost of anniversary cloth, which he could not account for.

Additionally, the committee recommended that monies collected from the students, for the anniversary cloths, which were not supplied, should be refunded to the students.

The committee asked Mr Philip Randles Ettison, a senior housemaster, to return to the school some quantities of roofing sheets belonging to the Nyaniba Model School, which he took without permission. Mrs Fiakpornu said that, as part of the recommendations of the committee, a number of teachers and non-teaching staff of the school would be transferred.

She said Mr Peter Nyameke-Boadi Adeba, Acting Assistant Headmaster was also asked to account properly for school fees and anniversary cloth levies that he has still not accounted for.

The Regional Director urged the school management to intensify its supervisory role, separate Parent-Teacher-Association (PTA) funds from that of the school.

Mrs Fiakpornu advised the school management to adopt strict measures that would promote discipline in the school. The committee recommended to the school management to "Deal swiftly and decisively with indiscipline and other behaviours among students and staff".

It further asked the headmaster to adopt prudent management style that will promote unity among the ranks of all teaching and non-teaching staff in the school.

Mr Emmanuel Asafo-Adjaye, President of the Old Students Association thanked the committee for their investigations and appealed to the chiefs, opinion leaders and the entire community to support the school. 14 Sept. 05