The University of Ghana says it is in talks with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to be given a three-year extension to pay rent allowance for its staff.
The University was expected to pay an amount of Ghc4 million as rent allowance tax for its staff.
The tax on rent allowance which was expected to be paid in 2015 was not captured in the 2017 Auditor General’s report.
They made this request as Vice Chancellors of various institutions faced Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee today.
“We are in talk with GRA to resolve the issue and indeed we have made some payment and we need to negotiate with GRA to have a payment plan and by the next three years we should be able to have it fully paid,” he said.
As a response to the plea, Chairman of PAC James Klutse Avedzi, who interrogate university officials said it was the responsibility of the University to ensure these allowances owed to the staff are paid.
“Any income received by the university is taxable; either from your employment or business investments. They are receiving this by virtue of being in the employment of the university. You don’t pay these allowance to anybody, but to people who work for you.”
Meanwhile, PAC has surcharged the Finance Officer of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Mr. Jonathan Sakoe for failing to recover an amount of GHS8,677.50 from a former Registrar of the University, Mr. Clement Aboagye Laryea
Mr. Klutse Avedzi charged the Finance Officer of UMaT, Mr. Sakoe to either retrieve the said amount from the previous registrar or pay it off himself.
“GHS10,100 was paid to Mr. Clement Aboagye Laryea which we have now accounted for so there is a balance of GHS8,667.50. Why didn’t you collect that money from him and now you are telling the committee you will write to him? Our recommendation is that if you are surcharged, you will have to refund the money yourself.”
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