PAC orders Sunyani West Assembly to refund GH₵116,000 illegal payouts

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly to immediately refund GH₵116,000 after uncovering the unlawful disbursement of public funds as end-of-service benefits (ESB).

The directive was issued during the committee’s sitting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, as Members of Parliament examined findings from the Auditor-General’s Department report.

Proceedings took a dramatic turn when it emerged that the Assembly had authorised payments totalling GH₵135,000 to certain staff members without any legal basis or statutory approval. Officials of the Assembly, who appeared before the committee, admitted to the irregularity but indicated that steps had been taken to recover the funds.

According to the Assembly’s representatives, only GH₵19,000 has so far been retrieved, leaving an outstanding amount of GH₵116,000 yet to be recovered.

Members of the committee expressed serious concern over how such a significant amount of public funds could be disbursed without proper authorisation, describing the action as a clear breach of the Public Financial Management Act.

Chairperson of the PAC, Abena Osei Asare, criticised both the initial decision to make the payments and the slow pace of recovery. She stressed the need for urgency and accountability in safeguarding public resources.

In a firm directive, she ordered the Assembly to recover the remaining funds within 30 days and provide official proof of payment to the Audit Service, with copies submitted to the committee.

“Respectfully, within 30 days we want the monies paid and the receipt given to the regional representative of the Audit Service, with a copy sent to the Public Accounts Committee,” she stated.

She further warned that the deadline is non-negotiable and that failure to comply could result in stricter administrative actions, including possible legal consequences for those involved.

The PAC’s action forms part of broader efforts to clamp down on the misuse of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and other public resources, particularly in cases where funds are diverted for unauthorised bonuses or benefits.

Committee members also questioned why the Assembly’s internal audit mechanisms failed to detect or prevent the irregular transfer before it was executed, raising concerns about weaknesses in internal financial controls.

The Sunyani West Municipal Assembly has been instructed to submit a detailed report on the recovery process by the next committee sitting, as scrutiny intensifies.

Attention is now focused on the Assembly’s ability to meet the 30-day deadline, with the possibility of further sanctions or criminal referral looming should it fail to fully recover the outstanding funds.