The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has questioned the decision to suspend a Transport Officer at the Northern Regional Health Directorate after he allegedly sold seven state-owned vehicles without authorisation.
The Auditor-General cited the officer, Timothy Banzaazi, for allegedly disposing of the vehicles and failing to account for GH¢13,803 generated from the transactions.
Appearing before the PAC, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, said Mr Banzaazi sold the vehicles without informing the appropriate authorities.
He explained that the total amount involved was GH¢13,803, adding that the officer had accounted for proceeds from three of the vehicles while four of the seven vehicles had been returned.
“Honourable Chair, the total amount is GH¢13,803. The amount that I mentioned is for three cars. Four were returned. He was able to return four of the seven cars,” Prof. Kaba Akoriyea told the committee.
He said the matter had been referred to the Police for criminal investigation and possible prosecution.
According to him, the Ghana Health Service also initiated its own disciplinary process, resulting in the officer’s temporary suspension.
The GHS Director-General added that the service had ensured that the full amount involved was recovered.
“We reported him to the police. They are handling it as a criminal case. We used our disciplinary proceedings, and he’s been suspended temporarily. And we made sure that he paid the full amount,” he said.
However, the Ranking Member of the PAC, Samuel Attah-Mills, expressed dissatisfaction with the disciplinary action taken against the officer.
Mr Atta-Mills questioned why Mr Banzaazi was not in custody despite allegedly selling seven state vehicles without approval and failing to account for the proceeds.
“Director-General, I disagree with you on the form of punishment. Here is a guy. He wasn’t supposed to sell these vehicles. He sold them without disclosing to anybody, and he didn’t account for the money,” he said.
“He sold seven of your vehicles, and he’s walking free,” the Ranking Member added.
He further questioned whether a temporary suspension was sufficient disciplinary action given the nature of the allegations brought before the committee.
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