An investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has shown that GHC2.8 billion was paid monthly to ghost names and non-existent schools.
According to a joint statement issued by the OSP and CAGD, it was discovered during the Government Payroll Administration audit that GHC2.8 million was paid as monthly salaries to ‘ghost names’ in the Northern Region, as the individuals were either deceased, retired, no longer in service, or listed as missing.
The investigation also revealed that a primary school in the Kumbungu District was non-existent but had staff who were being paid monthly.
Read the full statement:
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) have released findings into the Government of Ghana Payroll Administration.
The investigation, which covered employees on the Government payroll in the Northern Region only, observed that the payroll system is attended to by an alarming number of unauthorized and inactive validators.
In one instance, it was discovered that a primary school in the Kumbungu District of Ghana Education Service did not exist at all. Yet, this non-existent entity was represented as staffed, and the purported staff were being validated monthly and paid salaries. A staggering amount of GHC2,854,144.80 was identified as unearned monthly salaries attributed to individuals who were deceased, retired, no longer in their positions, flagged as missing, or whose whereabouts were unknown, commonly referred to as “Ghost Names.” By blocking these payments and removing the corresponding individuals from the Government Payroll, the Republic saved GHC34,249,737.60 for the 2024 financial year.
Additionally, ongoing savings are expected for subsequent years, along with potential upward pay adjustments, thanks to the detection of these unearned salaries facilitated by the joint investigation of the OSP. The OSP and CAGD are engaged in an enhanced investigation into the educational institutions under Ghana Education Service in the Northern Region and the Tamale Teaching Hospital aimed at prosecuting persons who promoted the non-existent school; validated deceased, untraceable, and retired persons; and persons who have vacated their posts. Subsequent phases of the investigation will extend to the remaining fifteen regions.”
