{
  "id": 13044139,
  "title": "PAC summons Takoradi doctor over GH¢341,229 study leave salary",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/pac-summons-takoradi-doctor-over-gh-341-229-study-leave-salary",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T05:59:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/pac-summons-takoradi-doctor-over-gh%c2%a2341229-study-leave-salary/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has ordered the Ministry of Health to bring a senior doctor, Dr Mockshell Esinam Sunu, to testify before them due to alleged salary payments of GH¢341,229 during a study leave that she reportedly did not use. Dr Sunu, who worked at Takoradi Hospital, supposedly received these payments from September 2023 to August 2025, despite not traveling to Germany as part of the approved academic program. The Committee is interested in knowing why these payments continued and how the irregularity occurred.\n\nAbena Osei-Asare, the Chairperson of the PAC, questioned the controls that allowed these payments to continue, expressing concerns about the officials responsible for approving the doctor's salary while she remained in Ghana. She pointed out that multiple people had validated the payments, leaving her to wonder about the individuals involved in the decision-making process. Osei-Asare called on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Medical Association to work together to ensure Dr Sunu appears before the Committee to explain the situation.\n\nFurthermore, Osei-Asare asked why the doctor did not take any action to halt the salary payments or inform the appropriate authorities once it became evident that she would not be traveling to Germany. The Committee will probe the study leave arrangements, the ongoing salary payments, and the responsibilities of officials tasked with validating these payments in an effort to determine accountability for the suspected financial irregularity.",
  "summary": "Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Ministry of Health to facilitate the appearance of a senior medical officer, Dr Mockshell Esinam Sunu, before the Committee over alleged salary payments totalling GH¢341,229 during a study leave she reportedly did not utilise.",
  "key_points": [
    "Public Accounts Committee summons Dr Sunu over GH¢341,229 salary payments.",
    "Doctor worked at Takoradi Hospital from September 2023 to August 2025.",
    "Committee probes study leave arrangements and salary payment controls."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Public Accounts Committee's summons of Dr Mockshell Esinam Sunu signals heightened scrutiny of financial controls in the Ministry of Health and potential accountability for officials involved in approving irregular salary payments.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "PAC summons doctor over GH¢341,229 salary payments during study leave",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/pac-summons-doctor-over-gh-341-229-salary-payments-during-study-leave",
        "published": "2026-10-09T07:08:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "GBC Ghana",
        "title": "PAC seeks answers over GH¢341,229 paid to doctor on study leave",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/pac-seeks-answers-over-gh-341-229-paid-to-doctor-on-study-leave",
        "published": "2026-10-09T09:02:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}