Joshua Mensah asked to step aside as State investigates bribery allegations
NSA continuous to receive salary despite being under investigation
The Auditor-General’s report has revealed that former Ashanti Regional Director of the National Sports Authority, Joshua Mensah has been receiving salary despite being interdicted after he allegedly took bribes in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Number12 documentary.
In 2018, Joshua Mensah was captured in an investigative piece allegedly receiving GH¢2,000 bribe to assist players to get invitation into the national teams.
Following the exposé, the NSA confirmed to the Daily Graphic that Ashanti Regional Director was on interdiction which meant that Mr. Joshua Mensah was only entitled to only 6 months’ salary per Section 8 of Labour Regulations, 2007.
Section 8 of Labour Regulations, 2007, states that “where an employer interdicts an employee, the employer shall pay not less than fifty per cent of the employee’s salary for six months, during investigations, disciplinary or criminal proceedings for an offence for which an employee has been charged, and pay the employee the salaries withheld during the interdiction if the employee is exonerated from the offence for which the employee has been charged".
However, the Auditor-General’s report found that Mr. Joshua Mensah had been paid GH¢43,157.00 as of December 2020 while on interdiction.
According to the report, within the stipulated six months when Mr Mensah was found guilty, he should have been paid half salary totalling GH¢7,984.00. This would have saved the State GH¢35,173.00.
TWI NEWS
Acting Auditor-General, Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu has urged the NSA and Ministry of Youth & to bring an end to the interdiction of Mr. Mensah and save State funds if he has been found guilty or better save him from getting his image tarnished if he has been cleared.
The report was confirmed in the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana: Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies (MDAs) For The Year Ended 31 December 2020.
