Concerns raised as lecturers on study leave fail to return to Ghana

Concerns have been raised as more lecturers on study leave fail to return to the country.

This comes on the back of the public hearing of the management of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as more lecturers on study leave fail to return, leading the university to take decisive action.

During a Public Committee Hearing on August 13, 2024, the university management revealed that they are in the process of recovering salaries from five lecturers who did not fulfill their bond terms.

While some funds have been retrieved through the lecturers’ pension contributions, others are being pursued with the assistance of the Ghana Police Service.

This issue follows a July report by the Attorney General, which highlighted the problem of unrecovered salaries from staff who failed to return after benefiting from study leave.

The report highlighted the importance of enforcing guarantor agreements, a point echoed by Hon. Kofi Adams, MP for Buem Constituency, who criticized KNUST for not ensuring these agreements are upheld.

Deputy Minority Leader James Klutse also voiced similar concerns earlier this month regarding the Health Ministry.

Vice-Chancellor Rita Akosua Dickson expressed the university’s determination to address this issue.

“As it stands today, we have been able to retrieve GHS335,254 from these staff who failed to return after being supported with their basic salaries,” she said during the hearing.

She acknowledged the challenge and emphasized the need for stronger measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.