Former Minister Alex Segbefia’s name pops up in GHC10 million financial scandal

The name of the Former Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia has popped up in the infamous financial scandal that has rocked the Tepa Nursing and Midwives Training College in the Ashanti Region.

Chief of Tepa Traditional Council Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem revealed that the former Health Minister, was aware of the financial scandal prior to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government exiting power.

He revealed that when alarm bells on the issue were first rang, his attention was drawn and being concerned about the development of the area, he officially wrote to the Ministry but till date yet to receive a response on the matter though he also drew the attention of the sector minister at the time.

On Kumasi-based Ultimate Fm, he said “It’s an allegation that has been made against the Principal and the Accountant. What I know is that every allegation must be followed by investigations. This thing has come to me before and I wrote officially to the then Minister of Health Alex Segbefia in 2016. So we were just waiting for the ministry’s response, they have not replied to me yet”

Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, wants thorough investigations to be conducted into the incident to prove the culpability of the Principal and the accountant or otherwise.

Principal of the college Victoria Amoah and her accountant Asamoah Richard allegedly used fake receipts and invoices to milk resources of the health institution during admissions every year to the tune of GH¢ 9,247,800.

This was uncovered after a purported audit conducted into the accounts of the school established 2011 as part of plans by the then government to open up access to health education to the growing number of applicants seeking admissions.

The Chief of the area, who has expressed reservations about the incident, revealed that he personally made efforts to ensure that it was not blown in the media but took steps at ensuring the appropriate authorities conduct investigations to unravel the truth.

“I was covering up (the story) because I didn’t want the school’s name to come up on the radio, its just a new school and I am trying to protect the image of the school, that’s all, and I know I have already taken initiative of it, definitely the ministry of health will come out whether the allegation is true or not. That is why I didn’t want the media to come out to announce it, just to protect the image of the school and the town as well, nothing else,… I don’t want anything to go against the school that was the reason why I was trying to prevent journalists from publishing the story”, he revealed.