GES to get tough on ghost names

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 17 May ?99 --

District Directors of Education will henceforth be held liable jointly with their accountants for any ghost names as well as other financial malpractices that may be detected on payment vouchers of any district.

Professor Chris Ameyaw-Akumfi, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service(GES) gave the warning at the close of a three-week financial management training for divisional, regional and newly-promoted district directors, accountants and auditors of the GES in Kumasi at the weekend.

The Director General therefore asked them to be very vigilant to ensure proper financial management in their districts.

He reminded them that the training they had gone through had fully equipped them to stop some of the tricks adopted by financial officers, to ensure sound financial administration in their districts.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi regretted that "in the past, directors and other management staff were appointed to management positions without any formal training and practical experience in handling management issues, be it financial or otherwise".

That order needs to be changed, he said, but pointed out that the change will not take place or be sustained unless appropriate human skills are provided to support it.