The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has disclosed that five lecturers sponsored to pursue doctoral programmes abroad have failed to honour their bond obligations, resulting in a total debt of GH¢1.7 million owed to the institution.

The revelation was made during a sitting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on Monday, January 12, where the Registrar of GIMPA, Victoria Kumbuor, outlined the extent of the default and the measures being taken to recover the funds.

According to GIMPA, Ann-Shirley Appiatse owes GH¢777,000, Julius Quarshie owes GH¢524,000, Dr Hanson Addy owes GH¢224,000, Afua Ataa Boakyewaa owes GH¢230,000, while Christiana Osei Bonsu has an outstanding amount of GH¢38,700.

Ms Kumbuor told the committee that the institution has taken steps to enforce recovery, including freezing the entitlements of guarantors who backed the defaulting lecturers under the bonding arrangements.

She explained that the measures form part of GIMPA’s broader efforts to safeguard public funds and ensure compliance with sponsorship agreements tied to staff development programmes.

“The indebtedness has to do with sponsorships that the institute offered to some of our faculty to pursue PhD programmes, with the expectation that they would return to support the institute’s operations. Even though they signed the bonds, some of them refused to return. As a result, a decision was made to freeze their entitlements, including their provident fund and credit scheme benefits, as well as those of their guarantors. We have been able to recover some of the money,” she said.