JoyNews responds to UG, UG-UTAG's claims of unprofessional reportage over A-G report

JoyNews has responded to accusations from the University of Ghana (UG) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG). They criticized JoyNews for its reporting on a payroll audit by the Auditor-General.

JoyNews maintains that its reporting was accurate. The coverage was based on verified findings from the official audit report. This report claimed UG overstated employee compensation by GH¢59.2 million between 2022 and 2024.

The Auditor-General’s report, released on May 16, 2025, revealed key details. UG submitted salary claims totaling GH¢1.09 billion. However, only GH¢1.03 billion was approved after verification. This left a discrepancy of GH¢59.24 million flagged as a potential overstatement.

UG management and UTAG-UG have denied these claims strongly. They argue that the flagged amounts were legitimate payments from internally generated funds (IGF). These funds supplemented government payroll allocations for staff like post-retirement faculty.

In response, JoyNews stood by its reporting. They stated their coverage relied solely on the Auditor-General’s official findings.

JoyNews Editor Evans Mensah commented on UG's objections. He suggested they should address the audit process instead of blaming the media.

He noted that UG has not formally protested to the Auditor-General about their findings. Instead, they are holding press conferences and issuing statements without addressing the core issues.

On JoyNews' The Pulse, Mensah emphasized journalistic ethics in their reporting. He pointed out that it accurately reflected the conclusions of a public document.

He raised fundamental questions regarding UG's claims against their report. Did the Auditor-General find that UG overstated compensation by GH¢59.2 million? According to the document, yes; this is factual until further investigation occurs.

Mensah stated that nothing from UG would change what is documented in the audit sent to Parliament. Their dispute lies with the Auditor-General, not with journalists who reported on it.