Auditor-General recovers GH¢57.2m in unearned salaries, warns supervisors of sanctions

The Auditor-General’s Department has recovered GH¢57.2 million in wrongful salaries paid to public sector workers who were absent from duty or failed mandatory validation processes, according to the nation’s chief auditor.

Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Auditor-General, disclosed in an interview with the Daily Graphic that the recoveries span from 2023 to April 2026. The funds were initially lodged into designated recovery accounts with commercial banks before being transferred to the Consolidated Fund in line with the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

A breakdown of the recoveries shows GH¢29.5 million was retrieved between 2023 and 2024, followed by GH¢20.4 million in 2025 as audit operations expanded. An additional GH¢7.3 million was recovered between January and April 2026.

Mr. Asiedu emphasised that the effort is part of a sustained crackdown on “ghost names” on the government payroll. He issued a stern warning to supervisors and heads of institutions who approve payrolls without verifying staff presence, stating they will be held personally accountable and could face financial penalties.

The audit process cross-checks payroll data against attendance records, validation systems, and official postings. Where discrepancies are identified, affected individuals are surcharged and required to refund unearned amounts. Failure to comply may result in a certificate of indebtedness, allowing the state to recover funds through deductions or legal action.

The Public Accounts Committee has welcomed the initiative, describing it as a major step in combating payroll fraud. Mr. Asiedu added that plans are underway to publicly disclose the names of surcharged individuals and their supervisors as a deterrent.

Validation exercises will now be conducted quarterly, the Auditor-General assured, reiterating his department’s commitment to cleansing the public payroll system completely.