Auditor-General recovers GH¢57.2m in unearned salaries from public sector workers

The Auditor-General has recovered GH¢57.2 million in unearned salaries paid to public sector workers who were absent from their posts or failed mandatory validation checks while remaining on the government payroll.

The recoveries, made between 2023 and April 2026, were deposited into a special recoveries account maintained with commercial banks before being transferred to the Consolidated Fund, according to official records.

The development exposes significant lapses in payroll management, with “ghost names” costing the state millions in unearned compensation. The Auditor-General’s ongoing validation exercises are designed to weed out such irregularities and ensure that only eligible workers receive salaries.

The recovered funds represent a fraction of potential losses identified through payroll audits. Authorities have vowed to intensify monitoring mechanisms to prevent future occurrences.

As of the time of publication, no further details had been released on whether disciplinary action would be taken against officials or departments responsible for the lapses.