Government of Ghana spends $18.4 million on employee allowances and students living abroad, Auditor-General report reveals

March 3, 2020 1:29 PM

A report from the Auditor-General on the Bank of Ghana’s foreign exchange receipts and payments has disclosed that $18.4 million was spent on the payment of allowances for government employees as well as students who were sponsored abroad for courses and seminars by the government in the first half of 2019,

Auditor General, Daniel Yao Domelevo

According to the report, “These were allowances paid to government-sponsored students and government employees attending seminars and courses abroad.”

“Total transfers for the period of 2019 were $18,471,100.08 compared with 19,672,749.68 for the corresponding period of 2018. This amounted to a decrease of $1,201,649.60 or 6.11%.

“The decrease was mainly due to a reduction in payment for government-sponsored students abroad and public officers attending courses abroad.”

Compared with 2017 where total invisible payments were $987,067,205.12, the 2018 invisible payments were $1,486,302,409.33, an adjustment of $499,235,204.21 representing 50.58%.

This is an increase attributable to increases in all the components except institutional subscription.

The BoG’s invisible payments projection was, however, $1,188,440,000.00, while actual payments were $1,486,302,409.33, indicating 25.06% and a difference of $297,862,409.33.