The University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) has raised serious concerns over due process and professional conduct following the release of a special payroll verification audit by the Auditor-General’s office.
The audit, which alleged that the University of Ghana overstated compensation costs by GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024, has sparked intense backlash from university stakeholders. UTAG-UG is now demanding the immediate resignation of Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, accusing his office of violating basic auditing standards and ethical principles.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, May 20, UTAG-UG General Secretary Jerry Joe Harrison criticised the process by which the audit findings were compiled and released, stating that the university was not given the opportunity to review or respond to the alleged discrepancies before the report was made public.
“This is a clear violation of fairness and transparency,” Harrison said. “The report was released without any engagement with the affected institution, which undermines the very credibility of the audit process.”
He described the approach as reflective of a larger pattern within public sector auditing, where the appearance of diligence often overshadows the need for procedural integrity.
“It seems the Auditor-General’s office is more concerned with public perception than professional accuracy,” he noted. “This is not how a credible institution should operate.”
Harrison further indicated that if the Auditor-General does not voluntarily step down, UTAG-UG will take steps to formally petition the President for his removal.
“This level of ethical misconduct cannot go unchallenged. Accountability must begin at the very institutions tasked with enforcing it,” he stressed.
The incident has reignited debates about the balance between public accountability and institutional rights, with many observers calling for a review of how audit findings are communicated, especially when reputations and livelihoods are at stake.
