By: Joel Eshun
It was a brief moment of laughter to ease the tension at the Public’s Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting after an officer of the Ghana Education Service confessed to receiving GH₵15, 000 overpayment.
The PAC sitting is often characterized by tension because of the nature of questions asked by members of the committee but the response of Emmanuel Samson, a teacher at Akropong Number One D/A JHS, in the Gomoa West District generated loud laughter from the people in the room.
Emmanuel Samson was asked if he didn’t know an amount he received exceeded what was supposed to be paid. His response was that he didn’t know till the auditors went through the books. This caused laughter from members of the committee and audience thus calming the atmosphere in the house.
“When you got the money, which was more than the amount you were expecting, did you know at that time when you received the salary?” James Klutse Avedzi, Chairman of PAC asked.
Emmanuel responded by saying “No, please. When I got the money, I thought it was my money until the auditors came in.”
“Like we say in our local settings, you have chopped the money? Mr. Samson, you have chopped the money?” another MP asked.
“Yes, boss, I chopped the money” Emmanuel Samson added.
