PTAs object to GES decision

Page 20
March 3, 2008

THE coalition of parent-teacher associations in the Greater Accra Region has objected to the decision of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to mainstream all PTA levies into school accounts.
“The directive to incorporate PTA funds, which are private financial resources, into public school finances violates the Financial Administration Act 2003, Act 654, and is a recipe for advancing corruption among school authorities,” it said.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, the acting Chairman of the coalition, Mr Alexander Y. Danso, said the PTAs were guided by their respective constitutions that stipulated officers and signatories to their accounts, as well as committees and sub-committees that supervised the implementation of projects.
He said the attempt to override the constitutions of the various PTAs and usurp their accounts by administrative fiat ran counter to the basic tenets of democracy, good governance and due process.
“Again, it goes against the rule of law for a public office holder to attempt to subvert the rights and aspirations of citizens in associations,” he said, and indicated that there was nowhere in the country’s Constitution that it had been stated that a public office holder was empowered to order the take-over of private financial resources by the stroke of a pen.
Mr Danso said if the GES wanted any formal interest in PTA funds, it could do that only by mutual consultation and urged all banks to observe strict professionalism in upholding the dictates of PTA constitutions concerning the signatories.
He appealed to PTAs nation-wide to exercise restraint, hoping that the GES would see reason and do the right thing for normalcy to be restored.
A letter signed by the Director-General of the GES, Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, said, “All PTA levies and related expenditure should be captured in the financial statements of the institutions, even though separate cash books could be kept for easy tracking of data.”
It said since the PTA levy was being treated as a public fund, it should be operated in line with all existing financial regulations, such as passing of supplies through the stores.
“The head of the institution, with the support of his accountant, will provide the PTA with a situational report at its meetings. The signatories to the bank account for operating levies shall be the headmaster, the accountant and the PTA chairman as automatic member,” it stated.