The Head of Finance at a teaching hospital in Akwatia in the Eastern Region says allegations he backdated salaries of some staff of the hospital are unfounded.

Yaw Opoku Adjei says instead of being sanctioned over a false claim of engaging in fraudulent financial activities, he should be lauded for safeguarding the finances of the government hospital.

Speaking on current affairs programme, Pulse, on the Joy News channel on MultiTV, Mr Adjei said he paid the monies he is alleged to have misappropriated into government’s chest.

Mr Adjei, along with three other accountants, are being investigated for financial malfeasance following a Joy News exposé.

Joy News’ Kwetey Nartey intercepted a memo in which some accountants of the hospital at Akwatia in the Eastern Region connived to dupe the state by backdating salaries of workers at the hospital.

He explained on Pulse that in 2015 about seven new recruits of the hospital failed to show up for work in the month of August over accommodation and other challenges they were facing following their posting to the hospital.

He adds in tandem with the law he ordered for the salaries of these new recuits to be paid back to the Controller and Accountant General‘s account.

“It was in September [2015] that they [new recruits] actually reported to work. This means that for the month of August, [they] didn’t work, therefore the salary that will be paid to [them] in August is an unearned salary which will have to be paid into government chest. This is backed by the Financial Regulation and Administration Act,” he said.

He believes his interdiction is unfair and has petitioned the hospital's management against it.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has begun interrogation into the matter.

Joy News sources say the BNI has invited some 16 new staff of the hospital to assist with investigations into the alleged payroll fraud.