Payroll validators to be held accountable for 14,000 ghost names

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has issued a stern warning to public sector officials who knowingly validate non-existent or unqualified individuals on the government payroll, vowing that those found complicit in payroll fraud will be held personally accountable.

Speaking during an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show following his presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review, Dr. Forson disclosed that ongoing audits have uncovered a staggering number of irregularities in the public wage system.

“So far, we’ve found about 14,000 people that we can’t validate. We can’t find them. They may be ghosts,” he said. “They are across sectors.”

In addition to the suspected ghost names, Dr. Forson revealed that approximately 53,000 “separated staff” — individuals who are retired, deceased, dismissed, or otherwise no longer eligible — have been identified as still appearing on the government’s payroll.

“These are people not supposed to be on the payroll,” he stressed. “I am waiting for the Auditor-General to provide the final numbers. Not only the Controller [and Accountant-General’s Department]; they all have questions to answer.”

Dr. Forson’s comments highlight systemic weaknesses in Ghana’s public payroll validation processes and signal a renewed push to clean up the system as part of wider public financial management reforms.

In a direct warning to school heads, hospital administrators, and other government officials involved in staff validation, he said:

“Let me use your medium to send a caution to those who validate ghosts across the economy. You are playing with public funds and may be personally liable for the validations you’ve done over the years.”

“If you validate ghosts and knowingly allow someone who is not supposed to be on the payroll to receive public funds, we will hold you responsible,” the Minister added.

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