Government has disclosed that ongoing payroll reforms have led to the removal of more than 67,000 ghost names from the public sector payroll, generating significant savings for the state and strengthening efforts to improve financial discipline within public institutions.
The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, announced the development during the 2026 Controller and Accountant General’s Department Retreat held in Koforidua.
According to the Deputy Minister, the payroll reform programme forms part of broader government measures aimed at restoring accountability in the management of public finances and ensuring that state resources are channelled into critical national development priorities.
Hon. Nyarko Ampem explained that the payroll clean-up exercise was initiated after reviews revealed widespread irregularities, duplicated records, and unverifiable entries within sections of the public sector salary system.
He noted that these anomalies had for years contributed to unnecessary pressure on the national wage bill while diverting funds that could otherwise have supported investments in key sectors such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
According to him, the discovery of the irregularities highlighted weaknesses in payroll administration and reinforced the need for urgent reforms to strengthen monitoring and verification systems.
“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 and Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Hon. Thomas Ampem Nyarkoh
Verification Measures Strengthened
The Deputy Minister indicated that government introduced a series of stringent measures to identify and eliminate fraudulent entries from the payroll database.
These measures included biometric verification exercises, data reconciliation, tighter monitoring systems, and stricter validation processes aimed at confirming the authenticity of public sector workers.
He explained that digital tools and institutional collaboration played a major role in helping authorities detect suspicious entries and remove ineligible names from the system.
The reforms, he said, were not solely focused on reducing expenditure but also on promoting fairness, integrity, and transparency in the administration of public sector compensation.
“We are building a system where only genuine workers receive salaries. Public funds must serve the people, not fraudulent schemes,” Hon. Nyarko Ampem added.
Government believes the savings generated from the payroll reforms will provide additional fiscal space to finance critical sectors of the economy.
The Deputy Minister said resources previously lost through payroll fraud could now be redirected toward national priorities including healthcare delivery, educational development, infrastructure expansion, and other essential public services.
He stressed that effective payroll management is critical to improving the overall sustainability of public finances, particularly at a time when government is pursuing fiscal reforms to strengthen economic stability.
According to him, a cleaner payroll database also provides more accurate information for workforce planning, salary budgeting, and recruitment management across the public sector.
Safeguards Introduced Against Future Fraud
Hon. Nyarko Ampem further disclosed that the government has introduced stronger safeguards to prevent the re-emergence of ghost names within the payroll system.
Among the measures implemented are regular payroll audits, tighter approval procedures for new entrants onto the payroll, and enhanced cooperation between public institutions involved in salary administration.
He said authorities are also relying increasingly on technology driven systems capable of identifying suspicious patterns and inconsistencies in payroll records.
The Deputy Minister maintained that sustaining the reforms would require continuous oversight and institutional commitment to accountability and transparency.
While highlighting the reforms, the Deputy Minister assured legitimate public sector workers that the measures were intended to strengthen the integrity of the payroll system and protect genuine employees.
He explained that a more efficient payroll structure would help ensure prompt salary payments and reduce administrative challenges associated with payroll discrepancies.
According to him, eliminating fraudulent entries would also improve confidence in public institutions and enhance trust in government’s financial management systems.
He commended public institutions that cooperated with the verification exercise, noting that their support contributed significantly to the successful implementation of the reforms.
Wider Reforms Across State Systems
Beyond the public payroll system, the Deputy Minister disclosed that government has begun extending similar reforms to other state supported payment platforms where irregularities have previously been identified.
He said authorities remain determined to deepen reforms that improve operational efficiency, reduce financial leakages, and strengthen public accountability across state institutions.
The Deputy Minister described the removal of more than 67,000 ghost names as evidence that substantial savings can be achieved when effective oversight systems are implemented.
According to him, government’s long term objective is to build stronger public financial management systems capable of supporting sustainable development while protecting state resources from abuse.
Strengthening Fiscal Discipline
The payroll reforms come at a time when the government continues to implement measures aimed at improving fiscal discipline and reducing wasteful expenditure.
The latest exercise is therefore being viewed as a significant step toward improving transparency and ensuring that public spending delivers maximum value to citizens.
Hon. Nyarko Ampem reiterated government’s commitment to maintaining discipline in public financial management and ensuring that every cedi spent serves a legitimate national purpose.
He emphasized that efficient management of the wage bill remains critical to the country’s broader economic reform agenda and long term fiscal sustainability.
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