PAC gives Ken Attafuah one month to refund GH₵98k used for SSNIT penalty

Parliament has instructed Prof. Kenneth Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), to repay over GH₵98,000 deducted from the authority’s account as a penalty for the delayed transfer of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions.

The NIA, having failed to promptly remit SSNIT contributions, used the Authority’s funds to cover the penalty.

The Public Accounts Committee, aligning with the Auditor General’s recommendation, has affirmed that Prof. Ken Attafuah and the financial controller should be held accountable for the penalty cost.

PAC at the meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2024, issued a one-month deadline to the Executive Secretary of the NIA to refund the amount.

“The recommendation states that you must repay the money, and it should be retrieved from both the Chief Executive and the Financial Controller.

“While you have explained the reasons for not paying the withheld money to SSNIT, the committee finds your explanation unacceptable.

“Therefore, the Auditor General’s recommendation stands: the Chief Executive and the Financial Controller must refund the money to the recovery account of the Auditor General within one month,” the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, James Klutse Avedzi stressed.