SHOCKER – Over 6,000 gov’t employees received more than GHS800m in unearned salaries

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Over 6,000 gov’t employees received more than GHS800m

The Auditor-General’s report has disclosed that more than 6,000 government employees received more than GHS800 million in unearned salaries.

The report further detailed that one senior civil servant, who was then at the Ministry of Defence, shockingly received more than half of the GHS800 million, receiving GHS427 million in unearned salaries, with an average of more than GHS14 million per month.

Reports by the Fourth Estate detailed, “The main objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of internal mechanisms set up to ensure only legitimate employees are paid their rightful salaries.

The report details a near-broken system leaking money to thousands of civil servants, most of whom had done little to no work over the period.

The Auditor-General reported that more than 6,000 government employees received more than GHS800 million in unearned salaries, but Mr Kpodo alone allegedly received more than half of this amount – that is, GHS427 million.

This exceeds the budget allocation of the Transport Ministry, which is GHS151 million”.

In the Payroll Audit Report for 2025, “the Auditor-General recommended that the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department should “immediately delete” Mr Kpodo’s name from the payroll, along with those of some 6,000 other individuals who received monies for no work done”.

“Principal Spending Officers should discontinue the validation of these individuals and recover the total amount of GH¢801,808,427.04 as unearned salaries paid to them, failing which the Principal Spending Officers and the Validators should pay,” the Auditor-General recommended.

In other news, President John Dramani Mahama has nominated public finance expert Pamela Graham for the position of Auditor-General.

Pamela Graham’s role is now subject to consultation with the Council of State.

The Council of State is expected to consider the nomination in the coming days and advise the President accordingly.

If confirmed, Pamela Graham will take over from Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, who has served as Auditor-General since his appointment in September 2021.

The nomination was announced by the Secretary to the President and is in line with Article 70(1)(b) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires the President to seek the Council’s advice before making a final appointment.

Reports suggest Pamela Graham’s role as Senior Partner at Ernst & Young since 2020 has strengthened her expertise in financial oversight and institutional advisory.

According to sources, the move forms part of broader efforts by the Presidency to strengthen financial oversight and rebuild confidence in key governance institutions.

She is described as a person who has extensive experience in public financial management, auditing, and institutional governance, along with a strong reputation for integrity and professionalism.

The role of the Auditor-General is central to Ghana’s accountability framework, with responsibility for auditing public accounts and ensuring compliance with financial laws and regulations across state institutions.

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