GES Cautions Heads and Validators Over Salary Validation Lapses

GES Cautions Heads and Validators Over Persistent Salary Validation Lapses.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a firm caution to School Heads and Salary Validators, warning that continued negligence in the salary validation process will attract sanctions. 

This follows a noticeable increase in the number of employees petitioning for the reactivation of unpaid salaries, a development that, according to the GES, underscores systemic inefficiencies that demand immediate redress.

A comprehensive review by the Service has identified several contributory factors to these lapses. Chief among them is the misuse of the validation process by some headteachers and Validation Officers, who reportedly employ it as a punitive tool against colleagues and subordinates, conduct the GES has categorically condemned as unethical and unprofessional. 

Furthermore, the persistent failure to update records by including new staff under the 'Missing Staff' category has compounded the problem. Similarly, employees who are reposted to new stations are often labelled as 'Unknown', primarily due to the failure of their receiving Cost Centre Managers to properly register them, thereby distorting validation records and payroll outcomes.

Equally troubling are instances where personnel are wrongly validated as 'Unknown' due to oversight stemming from inadequate proofreading. Final Validators, in some cases, submit Payment Vouchers without conducting thorough reviews of entries made by primary validators. 

Additionally, the failure to cross-check these documents for potential name omissions continues to undermine the integrity of the process. These cumulative errors have significantly disrupted the reliability of salary validation, prompting the GES to outline corrective measures.

To address these challenges, the Service has re-emphasized the need for precision, transparency, and accountability throughout the validation chain. Validation Officers who unjustifiably withhold or obstruct salary payments risk punitive measures, including salary embargoes, which may remain in effect until affected employees are fully reinstated. 

Municipal and District Directors have been charged with the strict enforcement of these directives and ensuring adherence to standard validation protocols.

In conclusion, the GES has reiterated the essential role of timely and accurate salary disbursement in promoting staff motivation and sustaining industrial harmony. 

By confronting the root causes of these validation irregularities and enforcing compliance, the Service aims to restore efficiency, fairness, and discipline in the administration of staff remuneration across all educational institutions.