JoyNews has responded to accusations of unprofessional reporting levelled by the University of Ghana (UG) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) following its coverage of the Auditor-General’s controversial payroll audit.
The media house insists its reporting was accurate and based on verified findings from the official audit report, which alleged that UG overstated employee compensation by GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024.
The Auditor-General’s report, released on May 16, 2025, revealed that UG submitted salary claims totaling GH¢1.09 billion, but only GH¢1.03 billion was approved after verification, leaving a discrepancy of GH¢59.24 million flagged as a potential overstatement.
UG management and UTAG-UG have vehemently denied the claims, arguing that the flagged amounts were legitimate payments from internally generated funds (IGF), used to supplement government payroll allocations—particularly for post-retirement faculty and other non-payroll staff.
In a rebuttal, JoyNews stood by its reporting, stating that its coverage was based solely on the Auditor-General’s official findings.
According to JoyNews Editor, Evans Mensah, UG’s objections should be directed at the audit process, not the media.
“They have been going on this media tirade, accusing JoyNews and our report, but nowhere have I heard that they have taken the actual step that could change the findings of the Auditor-General—such as writing formally to the Auditor-General, registering their protest, and offering the clarity they claim to have. I haven’t heard any single member of the university community say they have taken that step. Rather, they are holding press conferences and issuing statements that don’t really go to the heart of the matter,” he explained.
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, he insisted that the media outlet adhered to journalistic ethics by accurately reflecting the report’s conclusions, which are a matter of public record.
“But a few fundamental questions must be asked, because they questioned our report. Did the Auditor-General, which is a constitutional legal body, find that the University of Ghana overstated its compensation by GH¢59.2 million?
“As far as the document is concerned—yes, and that is factual. Until the Public Accounts Committee looks into the matter, hears it, and discounts the findings, it is the fact. And nothing that the University of Ghana says right now will change what has been put in an audit document transmitted to Parliament, other than to offer clarification…. Their quarrel is really with the Auditor-General, and not with the journalist who simply reported what had been published by the Auditor-General.”
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