Former GHAMRO Boards fail to account for ¢2.3m spent – Report

A special audit of the accounts of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) supervised by the Auditor General has revealed that ¢2,339,272.79 is yet to be fully accounted for. 

The audit was conducted on the accounts of the Organization from 2012 to 2016 as a result of agitations from some members who demanded to know the financial health GHAMRO. 

Carlos Sakyi led GHAMRO’s Board from 2012 to 2014 with Kojo Antwi taking over from 2015 to 2017. 

A summary of the report requested that handing over notes for the period of stewardship spanning from 2014 to 2016 be submitted to the Auditor General. 

An amount of ¢2,113,803.93 made up of bank transfers and several withdrawals including cash made from banks without little or no details for the period 2012 to 2014 is yet to be accounted for. 

The report indicated that there were shortages of monies collected and lodged on behalf of GHAMRO totalling ¢147,814.86. 

An amount of ¢22,500 being financial assistance and medical support purportedly made to members were without relevant supporting documents. 

An imprest of ¢22,445 recorded as daily transportation and fuel allowance was also given without Board approval, according to the report.

The report requests for an account of sitting allowances of ¢11579 and ¢4910 for Board and other Committee members respectively in 2012. 

It also stated that an amount of ¢9150 directly withdrawn as protocol payments without any supporting documents and a further ¢7070 was given to persons whose identities and relations to the Organization were not known through petty cash vouchers. 

At a press briefing on Thursday by the current board and management of GHAMRO at the Copy Right Office, Chairman of Board, Rex Omar, indicated that his team had been able to retrieve a Toyota Sequoia vehicle which was the subject of ¢55,000 withdrawal without due authorisation from the Board.