Ghana's government payroll has been inflated by 67,311 "ghost workers," leading to a recovery of approximately GH₵150.4 million ($14,398,861) in unearned salaries, says Minister of Finance Cassiel Ato Forson.
Speaking on the floor of parliament during the 2025 mid-year budget review on Thursday, Dr. Forson revealed that a Ghana Audit Service review uncovered two categories of illicit entries.
"14,000 unidentified workers and 53,311 separated staff made up of people who are either on retirement, resigned, terminated, leave without pay or deceased, and yet remained on government payroll."
Ghana News Agency reports the minister issued a warning to those responsible for validating fraudulent entries.
Public funds
“Let me use this opportunity to strongly caution those who validate “ghosts” across the public service that they will be personally liable for the loss of public funds,” he stated.
Forson told parliament the audit will be completed by the end of August 2025, and the public will be updated on the “findings and outcomes.”
To combat the illegality of ghost worker entries, the government says it is implementing several measures, which include "conducting regular nationwide staff payroll audits to sanitise government payroll and the realignment of staff from overstaffed and defunct Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA) to areas with critical staffing needs."
“We are finalising the processes for the establishment of the Independent Emoluments Commission (IEC) as part of broader efforts to reform and reset public sector pay and issue an executive directive mandating all MDAs to seek approval from the Minister of Finance before making any commitments with financial implications on the payroll.” Forson announced.
The reforms follow a February order from President Mahama for investigations into the operations of the National Service Authority under the previous government after more than 81,000 suspected ghost names were discovered on its payroll.
The ghost names were discovered following a headcount to clear arrears in allowance payments at the agency, which is in charge of supervising mandatory one-year employment placements for graduates, a statement from the presidency said.
