According to the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has collected more than GH446 million over the last four years to combat corruption.

As provided in the report, combating corruption is similar to combating the bad within the government. In addition, it said that despite the OSP’s significance, the fight against corruption appears never-ending and termed it as a waste of resources.

According to the Corruption Perception Index, Ghana was still placed 73 out of 180 nations with the same score of 43 as it had in 2021, indicating that corruption in Ghana has not significantly decreased.

As stated by the report, there are several important sectors that contribute to governmental wasted expenditures.

“The major factor is the lack of transparent and accountable procurement processes. This denotes, inefficient bidding systems, inadequate oversight mechanisms, and instances of corruption lead to inflated contract prices, and wastage of public funds.
“Another contributing factor is the presence of redundant or obsolete government programs and agencies. These entities often duplicate functions, resulting in inefficient resource allocation and unnecessary administrative costs.”
Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022

According to the investigation, simplifying and streamlining these programs and organizations can help reduce waste and reroute resources to more beneficial uses. Additionally, it was noted that resource misallocation and cost overruns are frequently caused by inadequate cost projections, unrealistic cost predictions, and poor spending oversight.

“Furthermore, major factors discovered through Representative Perception Polls include, Presidential travels, the National cathedral project, Saglemi Housing units, Government size, Youth employment programs, the Bank Clean Up Exercise, fighting Galamsey etc.”
Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022

However, the report recommends tightening budgetary processes and implementing efficient supervision systems in order to promote a culture of fiscal responsibility inside the government financial architectures, which in turn, reduces unnecessary expenditure and win the trust of residents.

The report issued on Tuesday June 20 added “Also, there should be fiscal covenant responsibility laws and rules which will regulate government spending to enhance transparency and accountability.”

“It is suggested that a comprehensive review of government programs and agencies should be conducted to identify redundancies and inefficiencies. Eliminating or merging redundant entities or institutions can result in cost savings and improved service delivery.
“Furthermore, the implementation of robust monitoring systems, promoting competitive bidding, and imposing strict penalties for fraudulent practices would help save taxpayers contribution. Additionally, fostering citizen engagement and participation play a significant role in curbing wasteful spending by encouraging public scrutiny of government expenditures.”
Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022

According to the document, improper resource allocation by government agencies results in irrational expenditure of funds and financial loss.

It claimed that this problem presents serious obstacles to the sustainability of public finances, inhibits economic expansion, and erodes public confidence in the government’s capability to successfully handle tax dollars.

GHS100 Million Lost Yearly Due To Payroll Fraud

According to the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022, the perpetual bloating of government payroll with ghost names costs taxpayers millions of Ghanaian Cedis.

According to the report, 2,913 ghost names were discovered on the Ghana Education Service Payroll alone in 2015, following staff audits.

“Approximately GHS100 million is lost annually to payroll fraud. Consistently since 2011, whenever the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is contracted for a bailout and as part of restructurings, the government would conduct a nationwide employee audit on its payroll.”
Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022

The report described procurement fraud and what it includes. It said that any dishonest or corrupt actions taken in connection with the purchase of products, services, or labor by public or private institutions is referred to as “Procurement fraud.” It went on to say that procurement fraud is a problem in Ghana and that it has persisted in the public as well as the private sectors.

“The country has taken several measures to address this problem, including the establishment of anti-corruption agencies and the enactment of legislation to prevent fraud and promote transparency in procurement processes. However, the issue of procurement fraud still exists.”
Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation’s Government Waste Report, 2022