Ghana’s payroll reforms have eliminated more than 67,000 ghost names from the public sector salary system, saving the government millions of cedis and strengthening fiscal discipline.
The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, disclosed the development during the 2026 retreat of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department held in Koforidua.
“Our payroll reforms have eliminated over 67,000 ghost names. This has saved government millions of cedis and ensured that public resources are used for their intended purpose.” - Deputy Minister for Finance
Mr. Ampem explained that the exercise followed the discovery of widespread irregularities within the payroll system, including unverifiable records and duplicate entries.
These anomalies, he said, had for years inflated the national wage bill and diverted critical resources away from development priorities.
In response, the government introduced stringent verification measures, including biometric validation, data reconciliation, and enhanced monitoring systems to identify and remove ineligible beneficiaries.
Boosting Fiscal Discipline and Efficiency
Beyond the immediate cost savings, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the reforms are part of a broader strategy to restore discipline and transparency in public financial management.
He noted that the clean-up has created additional fiscal space for investment in key sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
“With a cleaner payroll database, government now has more accurate information for planning recruitment and managing the public workforce efficiently.” - Deputy Minister for Finance
To sustain the gains, the government has implemented new safeguards aimed at preventing the reintroduction of ghost names into the system.
These measures include regular payroll audits, stricter approval processes for new entrants, improved institutional collaboration, and the deployment of digital tools to flag suspicious entries.
“We are building a system where only genuine workers receive salaries. Public funds must serve the people, not fraudulent schemes.” - Deputy Minister for Finance
Strengthening Public Confidence
The Deputy Minister commended public institutions that supported the verification process, noting that their cooperation was key to the success of the initiative.
He assured legitimate public sector workers that the reforms are designed to protect their interests by ensuring timely and accurate salary payments.
Mr. Ampem reaffirmed the government’s commitment to deepening reforms that enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and build trust in public institutions.
According to him, the successful removal of thousands of ghost names demonstrates that strong oversight and effective systems can deliver significant savings to support Ghana’s development agenda.
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