Three retired headteachers who surreptitiously received their monthly salaries for two years would now have to pay back and with interest.

At age 62, Eliam Franklin, Michael Ofori Sarkodie and a third person said to be on the run, retired as head teachers of three different schools three years ago but continued to receive their salaries.

They did not alert the authorities of the anomaly.

Following an audit by the Auditor General it emerged that the sum total of the amount received by the three heads stood at ¢33,625.00 for the two year period.

The reports say after several efforts by the management of Dompoase Senior High School to get the former headmaster to refund the money, Michael Ofori Sarkodie paid almost 5,000 cedis through the Ghana Commercial Bank in 2012 to defray part of his debt.

These came to light during the Public Accounts Committee hearing in Kumasi.

Eliam Franklin, one of the head masters who was present at the committee hearing admitted receiving the amount but said he did not know how to report the anomaly.

He said he is ready to pay back the money with his savings at the bank which stands at 9,000 cedis.

Since the amount will not be enough to settle the debt, the Auditor General has been directed to use Mr. Franklin’s social security pension benefit for the next five years to pay off the debt.   

A member of the Public Accounts Committee George Arthur told Joy News they are considering getting Interpol or the police to hunt for the third person.

He said even though they empathize with the retired teachers who would now have to forfeit their pension allowances for several years, the action must be taken to deter others from repeating same.