The leadership of the Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) is calling for the migration of its members onto the payroll platform of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD).
The Association says the delay in implementing the migration amounts to a breach of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, which requires that accountants in certain public institutions have their salaries determined by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.
National President of HASAG, Samsudeen Mohammed, said members of the Association are being treated unfairly compared to accountants in other sectors already covered under the Act.
“By the PFM Act, 2016, we are supposed to be managed by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, but that has not been done. We want the Controller to perform the role as stated by the PFM Act. Even though the Controller is aware of this, we are reminding them of the plight of our members,” he said.
He made the remarks at the Annual Retreat of the Ashanti Regional Chapter of the Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana, held under the theme: “Strengthening Financial Management, Improving Audit Performance to Improve Healthcare Delivery in Ghana.”
Mr Mohammed argued that the disparity in remuneration among accountants in the public sector violates the principle of equal pay for equal work.
“Under the International Labour Convention, equal work deserves equal pay. If an accountant at the Ghana Health Service is not paid like colleagues in other public sector institutions, then we are being treated unfairly,” he added.
The Association has already petitioned the Controller and Accountant General’s Department on the matter but is yet to receive a response.
The Ashanti Regional retreat focused on strengthening financial management practices within Ghana Health Service facilities, with participants receiving training on modern accounting and auditing approaches to improve financial management in health institutions.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr Fred Adomako, highlighted the critical role of accounting staff in the management of the country’s health system.
He said effective healthcare delivery requires efficiency from all stakeholders, including proper management of resources and the prevention of wastage.
“It is easy for us to list the staff and machinery we need and attach costs to them, but accountants can help us correlate all these costs with the expected outcomes,” Dr Adomako stated.
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