Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel George, and the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, and James Klutse Avedzi, during a parliamentary committee hearing on Monday, February 5, 2024, grilled Professor Peter Twumasi, the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), and the NSA’s chief accountant over the handling of funds received during the Christmas festivities
Sam George revealed that the NSA had collected GH₵250,000 for renting out facilities at the Accra Sports Stadium during the Christmas period.
However, instead of depositing the entire amount into the NSA’s main account, where payments are typically lodged, some funds were lodged in the Kumasi account.
During the committee hearing, Sam George, a member of the committee, was puzzled to learn from the NSA’s accountant that a portion of the funds had been lodged in the Kumasi account.
He demanded clarification from the accountant regarding this unusual discrepancy.
The accountant explained that “Partly was lodged in Accra and the other in Kumasi. The invoices we issued to these two”. He then gave a long pause that prompted a reaction from Sam George.
Sam George quizzed again, ‘”Do you have an answer for the committee?” and the accountant replied, “Yes, Mr Chairman.” Sam George then asked him to proceed and give the reasons behind the decision to lodge some payments in Accra and Kumasi.
The accountant then referred the question to the Director-General, which prompted a response from Sam George, who asked, “But you are the accountant; lodgements are made to you so why is the Director-General of the NSA supposed to explain what your role is? Is it because he directed?
The accountant responded, “It’s because he is the spending officer.” Sam George was not satisfied with the response and pushed further: “Lodgements of the cheques are different from the disbursement of the cheques so on whose order or authority did you lodge cheques made for Accra Sports Stadium into the Kumasi account?”.
The accountant replied, “The Director-General.”.
The exchange between Sam George and the accountant continued for a while until the accountant admitted that Professor Twumasi instructed him to deposit the money in the Kumasi account.
Sam George then redirected his inquiries to Professor Twumasi, but he struggled to provide coherent answers. As a result, James Klutse Avedzi intervened and took over the questioning.
Despite Avedzi’s efforts to clarify the situation, Professor Twumasi still appeared uncertain in his responses. Dissatisfied with the NSA’s handling of the matter, Avedzi announced that the committee would recommend a forensic audit of the NSA’s accounts to the Auditor-General.
“I want to make a recommendation that will be put in the report. Listening to what is happening here, I think the place is in a mess,” said Dr. Avedzi.
Watch how Sam George, PAC Chairman, grilled NSA boss and accountant over lodgement of ‘Chrismas monies’
I am staunch member of the NPP, the sports authority head must be sacked by the president and put before the courts