The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has suspended its staff due to irregularities in their employment and compensation.
In an official statement, the management of NEIP clarified that the move was necessary to ensure compliance with public financial regulations and prevent further legal violations. “No staff member at NEIP has been dismissed. The suspension is a temporary measure to facilitate proper procedural processes, ensuring compliance with public financial regulations and the avoidance of further legal violations.”
According to the statement, “As of the end of December 2024, there were 32 staff members at NEIP who were not designated as presidential staffers.” However, in January 2025, “12 out of the 32 staff members left NEIP without providing any formal notice or communication to the leadership. This occurred due to their awareness of the irregularities surrounding their appointments.”
One major concern raised by management was the nature of employment letters issued to these staff members, which “did not specify their salary levels or grades, leading to ambiguity in their compensation packages.” Instead of being placed on a formal salary structure, they were paid allowances, a practice NEIP described as “against labour laws and considered illegal.”
The statement further revealed that there were no official budgetary provisions for staff compensation, forcing the previous management to use operational funds for salaries. “Consequently, the previous management used operational funds to pay monthly allowances, a practice that contravenes the Public Financial Management in Ghana and is considered a serious financial offense,” it said.
In addition to these financial infractions, NEIP disclosed that “for the past six years, the previous management failed to pay SSNIT contributions for the affected staff, constituting a serious legal violation.”
To address these issues, the current management team has taken steps to rectify the situation, but “the complexity and legal implications of the issues have made the resolution process challenging.”
As a result, the difficult decision was made to suspend staff temporarily. “To avoid perpetuating the illegalities, management made the difficult decision to suspend the existing staff at NEIP. This measure is intended to allow for due process in obtaining financial clearance to regularize employment and integrate the staff into the government payroll system.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Deborah Amuzu
