The University Teachers Association of Ghana, University of Ghana Chapter (UTAG-UG), has called for the resignation of Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu over allegations of unethical conduct in a recent payroll audit report. The report claimed that the University of Ghana had overstated employee compensation by GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024.
At a press conference on May 20, 2025, UTAG-UG Secretary Dr. Jerry Joe Harrison criticized the Auditor-General for not sharing the initial audit findings with the university before publicizing the report. He described this omission as a serious breach of professional ethics, suggesting it reflected either incompetence or deliberate misconduct. Dr. Harrison demanded that the Auditor-General resign honorably or face a petition to the President for his removal. He also called for sanctions against all individuals involved in the audit process for professional misconduct.
The Auditor-General's report indicated that the University of Ghana submitted salary claims totaling GH¢1.09 billion between 2022 and 2024. However, only GH¢1.03 billion was approved after verification, revealing a GH¢59.24 million discrepancy. The university has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the overstatement was due to clerical errors and not intentional misrepresentation.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about financial management and accountability in Ghana's public universities. Previous Auditor-General reports have identified irregularities at institutions like the University of Ghana, including unaccredited academic programs and financial mismanagement. For instance, the 2021 report revealed that 374 academic programs at the University of Ghana were unaccredited, raising questions about the institution's compliance with regulatory standards .
The UTAG-UG's call for the Auditor-General's resignation underscores the tension between academic institutions and oversight bodies in Ghana. While the Auditor-General's role is to ensure transparency and accountability, the manner in which audits are conducted and reported can have significant implications for the institutions involved. In this case, UTAG-UG contends that the Auditor-General's actions have undermined the university's reputation without sufficient prior consultation.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how the Auditor-General and the University of Ghana will address these allegations and what impact this will have on the broader landscape of public sector accountability in Ghana.
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