Accra: The University of Ghana (UG) has addressed allegations of irregularities in the Auditor-General’s recent payroll audit report, which suggested that the institution overstated employee compensation by GHS59.2 million. Speaking on behalf of the university’s management, Professor Samuel Simpson, UG’s Acting Deputy Internal Auditor, refuted the claims, describing them as misleading and lacking context.
According to Ghana News Agency, Professor Simpson explained in an interview that the figures in the report do not provide the complete picture. He stated, “There are processes and engagements behind these figures that the Auditor-General’s report fails to capture. To suggest that the university overstated employee compensation is simply incorrect.” He emphasized that the purported ‘overstatements’ were legitimate uses of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to support government payroll allocations.
Professor Simpson further elaborated on the situation, noting, “Let’s say, if the government of Ghana decides to say that, look, I can pay for two staff of the University of Ghana, but the University of Ghana needs, let’s say, five staff to teach so they can give quality to our clients, that is, students.” He reiterated that the figures flagged in the report were not overstatements but necessary financial measures to ensure educational quality.
The university plans to release an official statement on the matter soon. Meanwhile, the broader Auditor-General’s report highlighted financial recoveries from recommendations spanning 2020 to 2023, including disallowances and payroll savings up to December 31, 2024. The report identified GHS38.9 billion for recovery, of which only GHS12.7 billion, or about 32.6 percent, has been successfully retrieved.