A serving Accounts Officer at Parliament has been linked to a GH¢139,710 payroll irregularity uncovered at the Sefwi Akontombra District Assembly, prompting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to move to involve the Clerk of Parliament for further action.

The issue came to light during a PAC sitting on Monday, April 20, where officials from the District Assembly responded to audit queries arising from the Auditor-General’s report.

The report flagged unearned salary payments made to some public officers.

According to the Assembly, the payments in question relate to three officers who were on secondment between 2022 and 2024 but continued to receive salaries from their original posting.

The Auditor-General subsequently recommended recovering the funds from the affected individuals.

Assembly officials told the Committee that efforts to retrieve the money have so far been unsuccessful, despite attempts to engage the individuals concerned as well as the institutions to which they were seconded.

The matter has gained further attention because one of the officers is currently serving as an Accounts Officer at Parliament.

The Assembly indicated that it had formally written to both the officer and the Clerk of Parliament, but had yet to receive a response.

Members of the Committee expressed concern over the development, particularly given the involvement of a parliamentary staff member in the audit findings.

The Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, subsequently directed that the Clerk of Parliament be formally notified to ensure proper follow-up and to facilitate the recovery of the funds.