The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has sighted a letter dated 12 February 2021, with reference number NasIA Banks/21/02/01, introducing the National Schools
AMPADU, (PhD) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INSPECTOR GENERAL OF SCHOOLS.
The GNACOPS, after a careful study of the letter, has found out that,
A. The directives issued in the letter on paragraph three (3) line 1,2,3 Consequently, we are by this letter entreating all Banks in Ghana to request all pre-tertiary schools, evidence of their registration with NašlA, in the form of a Provisional Certificate, Provisional Licence, or Full License, before transacting any business with such schools,” is out of the law, a night that can only be exercised by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and possibly Court Order
Interrogatories for Clarification
Al. That who bears the losses of the schools who were not allowed to access their accounts for very important transactions because of your instructions?
A2. That, if the Banks refuse to go by NaSIA’s directives, does NaslA have authority to call for action against the Banks for non-compliance to the directives?
A3. That assuming without admitting that NaSIA has the mandate to write a letter to authorize the banks not to transact any business with the schools How was your office expecting these same schools
to pay the registration fee your office is requesting into your account while you have frozen their accounts
B. To issue directives and sanctions without Board decision and its approval is tantamount to and violation to letter and the very spirit of Section 94. (0) “The Inspector-General of Schools is responsible for the implementation of the decisions of the Board and day-to-day administration of the affairs of the Authority” of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act (Act
1023) 2020. B1. That directing the banks not to transact any business with schools that are not registered with NaSIA is outside the mandate of the Inspector General of Schools unless it is by the decision of the board, which 15 nonexistent at the moment. So on whose mandate or with which court order did your office by implication freeze the accounts of schools that are not registered under your office?
B2. That, NaSIA as an authority working with and under the Ministry of Education, Sister Agencies, Associations, Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations and others have been enshrined at Section 90.1 (a) to (k) in the Education Regulatory Bodies Act (Act 1023) 2020, would interest the general public to know which of these internal collaborators were consulted before issuing external direct us to the Banks?
B3. That, as much as NaSIA is mandated to register schools, it is not mandated to do so at a fee since
registration of schools is not a service to the school (section 89.1 and 122), so what kind of service the schools have requested from NaSIA to render that should attract fees
he Council wishes to bring to your notice how the (Act 1023) has directed NaSIA in matters of
administration and finance: (Section 122 (a) and (6) ) “The funds of a regulatory body established under this act include,
(a) Money approved by parliament (6) Money derived from fees from services rendered and lastly, Section 123.1 says “the money for each regulatory body shall be paid into a bank account opened for that purpose with the approval of the Controller and Accountant-General
Concerns and interrogations arising from the content of your letter, the Council is seeking clarification from NasiA Executive Director as to the constitutionality of such an order to the banks while at the same time is demanding an immediate redrawing of the letter to ensure a smooth transaction between our members and their various banks
Your urgent response and action will be very much appreciated.
