The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) have released findings from an investigation into Ghana’s government payroll in the Northern Region.
The investigation revealed a significant number of unauthorized and inactive validators in the payroll system, specifically within the Ghana Education Service and the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Notably, a non-existent primary school in the Kumbungu District was found to have been listed as an operational entity with staff, who were being validated and paid salaries.
The investigation uncovered GH¢2,854,144.80 in unearned monthly salaries being paid to “ghost names” — individuals who were deceased, retired, missing, or otherwise unaccounted for. By stopping these payments and removing these individuals from the payroll, the government saved GH¢34,249,737.60 for the 2024 financial year.
These actions are expected to result in ongoing savings and potential pay adjustments in future years, as a result of the joint efforts of the OSP and CAGD.
