Come and pay your money – Ranking Member on Public Accounts Committee calls out Dr. Kennedy Osei over unredeemed bond

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Samuel Atta Mills, has called out a former staff of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Kennedy Osei, over an unredeemed bond with the Ministry.

This bond according to the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah, places Dr. Osei in a four-year service agreement with the Ministry after receiving funding from the State to pursue a PhD in Australia.

During her appearance at the Public Accounts Committee’s public hearing on Tuesday, August 19, Dr. Afisah Zakariah disclosed that out of the 4-year service bond signed, Dr. Kennedy Osei has served only 8 months, with a GHC19,000 outstanding debt to the State.

In response to this, Ranking Member Samuel Atta Mills called out Dr. Osei to pay his debts to the State, asserting that his negligence is the reason for the ‘Ministry’s’ appearance before the Committee.

“Dr. Kennedy Osei, the country sent you to Australia, you got your PhD, thank you very much,” he said “But look at your negligence, it has brought the Ministry over here…so tomorrow should we sponsor somebody else to go and get a PhD… Dr. Kennedy Osei come and pay this amount to redeem yourself and these people.”

When asked whether the former staff provided guarantors when signing the bond, Director Dr. Afisah confirmed that there were guarantors but none has so far responded to efforts by the Ministry.

The Ranking Member consequently advised that if such efforts are not yielding results, then the relevant law enforcement bodies must be involved as the act in itself is equivalent to fraud.

“Call the police, they will go after him, this is fraud, you are supposed to serve 4 years but you serve 8 months and then go away, Dr. Kennedy Osei you are watching us come and pay, otherwise we will take the next step,” he warned.