The leadership of the Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) is pushing for the migration of its members onto the Controller and Accountant General’s Department payroll platform.

According to the association, the delay in achieving this constitutes a breach of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, which mandates that the salaries of accountants in certain public institutions be determined by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.

The National President of HASAG, Samsudeen Mohammed, believes its members are being treated unfairly, especially when compared to other accountants in sectors already covered under the Public Financial Management Act.

“By the PFM Act, 2016, we are supposed to be managed by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, but that has not been done. We want the Controller to perform the role as stated by the PFM Act. Even though the Controller is aware of this, we are reminding them of the plight of our members,” he emphasised.

He made these remarks at the annual retreat of the Ashanti regional chapter of the Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana, held under the theme "Strengthening Financial Management, Improving Audit Performance to Improve Healthcare Delivery in Ghana.”

In comparison with members of the accounting profession in other government institutions, the HASAG President said his members are being treated unfairly.

“Under the International Labour Convention, equal work deserves equal pay. If an accountant at the Ghana Health Service is not paid like colleagues in other public sector institutions, then we are being treated unfairly,” he added.

The Association has already petitioned the Controller and Accountant General’s Department but is yet to receive a response.

The Ashanti Regional retreat focused on improving financial management at various Ghana Health Service facilities.

Participants were taken through modern trends in accounting and auditing to help improve finances in health facilities.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr Fred Adomako, underscored the importance of accounting staff in the management of the country's health system.

He noted that ensuring quality healthcare delivery requires efficiency from all stakeholders, including the avoidance of wastage of resources, a key role of accountants.

Dr Adomako further stated, “It is easy for us to list the staff and machinery we need and attach costs to them, but accountants can help us correlate all these costs with the expected outcomes.”