The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has come under scrutiny after the Auditor-General revealed that the facility made unauthorised payment of salaries totalling GH¢14 million from its internally generated funds over 13 months between 2022 and 2024.
According to the Auditor-General’s report, the payments contravened the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA), raising serious questions about the hospital’s financial management practices.
The amount, which remains unrecovered, has prompted the Auditor-General to order KBTH to halt such irregular expenditures immediately.
The matter came to light on Monday, September 29, during a public sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament in Accra.
The Committee, which reconvened to examine the Auditor-General’s report for the year ending December 31, 2024, is holding hearings from September 29 to October 1 to review alleged financial irregularities across various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
Institutions scheduled to appear before the PAC include the Ghana Statistical Service, Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Ministry for the Interior, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department, and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
Others are the ministries of Sports and Recreation, Food and Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Environment, Science and Technology, and Transport.
The scrutiny of KBTH’s financial dealings has drawn additional concern over two separate cases of negligence that resulted in judgment debt payments amounting to GH¢113,500.
The cases involved an overdose of medication administered to a deceased patient and a wrongful swap of mortal remains, both attributed to the hospital’s personnel. The Auditor-General has directed the facility to recover the judgment debt.
The findings have reignited public debate about accountability within the health sector and the misuse of public funds.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson underscored the importance of transparency in financial governance, stressing that his ministry is working to strengthen compliance with financial regulations and ensure the recovery of unauthorised payments.
He further assured that the government is committed to removing “ghost names” from payroll systems and closing loopholes that undermine public financial management.
The PAC’s work, he said, reflects an unwavering resolve to safeguard taxpayer funds and uphold integrity across state institutions.
The revelations have placed Ghana’s premier teaching hospital under the spotlight, with calls growing louder for reforms to prevent further financial breaches and negligence that undermine confidence in public health institutions.
