I never took clothing allowance – Former GEPA Deputy CEO responds

A former government appointee has described as outrageous, allegations that he still took clothing allowance months after he was sacked.

Deputy CEO of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) Akilu Sayibu insists, he made his account available to auditors to prove he never received the allowance.

Not even while he was in office for 13 months. The allegation of pocketing underserved clothing allowance was contained in the 2018 Auditor-General’s Report on some specialised state institutions.

The report said the former appointee received ₵10,400 between June and December 2018 which should be refunded.

In default, the report warned of surcharges if the deputy CEO failed to refund the unearned clothing allowances. Also implicated in keeping the monies, was another deputy GEPA CEO, Eric Amoako Twum.

Mr. Sayibu, however, rejected the allegation and noted in a statement that he had explained his side of the story when it was brought to his notice during auditing.

The ex-deputy CEO who was sacked in June 2018 expressed surprise that his response was not captured in the Auditor-General’s report.

The former government appointee also rejected the auditor’s claim, he was keeping an official laptop and had not returned it or exercised the option of paying for it.

According to him, he opted to keep it and wrote that the amount be deducted from his terminal benefits.

The cost of the Apple Macbook Pro Laptop was ₵16,450.

He said he had written to the Auditor-General concerning these allegations which he asked the public to ignore.