Ghana’s Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson disclosed critical findings from an ongoing government payroll audit during the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament on July 24.
The audit, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance and executed by the Ghana Audit Service, identified 14,000 public sector workers who could not be verified, alongside 53,307 inactive individuals including retirees, deceased persons, and terminated staff still receiving salaries.
Dr. Forson warned these irregularities severely strain national finances, emphasizing that unearned payments “undermine efficiency, waste public funds, and deepen fiscal challenges.” The audit covered 91% of institutions across all 16 regions, exposing systemic flaws enabling ongoing salary fraud.
The Minister pledged swift action to remove “ghost names” and close loopholes, linking the cleanup to broader public sector reforms aimed at fiscal space creation and accountability. “This is about restoring integrity to public financial management,” he stated.
Revelations sparked renewed calls from lawmakers and civil society for prosecuting payroll fraud accomplices. As Ghana navigates economic recovery, pressure mounts to ensure taxpayer funds deliver value. The Ministry confirmed the full audit report will be published upon completion in remaining institutions.
