Controller and Accountant-General Department Terminates Salaries of Over 53,000 Inactive Staff
The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department has suspended and terminated salaries of over 53,000 inactive government staff following a payroll audit.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happened, why, and the implications.
In a bold move to safeguard public funds and enhance payroll transparency, the Controller & Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) of Ghana has taken decisive action to suspend and terminate salaries of thousands of inactive and separated government employees.
This comes after revelations from the 2025 Nationwide Payroll Headcount Exercise, a collaborative effort between the Ghana Audit Service and the CAGD.
The exercise, which sought to clean up the government payroll system and address payroll irregularities, unearthed shocking findings. According to an official statement dated 24th July, 2025, and signed by Sylvester Acquah, Acting Deputy Controller & Accountant-General (Payroll Management), over 53,000 officers were found to be separated from their institutions yet continued to receive salaries.
Breakdown of the Payroll Anomaly
The audit exercise revealed that a total of Fifty-Three Thousand, Three Hundred and Eleven (53,311) officers were classified as separated staff—meaning they were no longer actively serving in the public sector.
Despite this, their names remained on the government payroll, raising serious concerns about inefficiency, negligence, and potential payroll fraud.
In response to this irregularity, the salaries of Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-Three (5,673) employees who were scheduled to receive payment in July 2025 have been suspended pending further investigation.
Additionally, a staggering Forty-Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty-Eight (47,638) officers have had their salaries completely terminated. These names no longer appear on the current payroll system, signaling a firm stance by the government to block leakages in public expenditure.
Implications for Institutions and Staff
Heads of institutions are not being left out of this sweeping cleanup. They have been instructed to take immediate steps to recover any unearned salaries that may have been paid out due to wrongful validation.
This includes instances where payments continued to be made to individuals who had either retired, resigned, or passed away, yet were still listed as active staff.
This directive serves as both a warning and a call to action for all public institutions to be vigilant and thorough in updating their human resource and payroll records.
For any government employee whose salary has been stopped in error but believes they are still legitimately employed, the directive offers a remedy.
Such affected persons are to be issued letters by their respective covered entities. These letters should be addressed to the Auditor-General with the Ministry of Finance copied, to trigger appropriate investigations and potential reinstatement.
Why This Matters
This large-scale payroll audit and its outcome underscore the government’s renewed commitment to financial accountability, payroll integrity, and the prudent use of public funds.
It also aligns with broader public sector reform goals aimed at eliminating ghost names, improving efficiency, and boosting public trust in government processes.
By eliminating salaries to separated staff, the Controller & Accountant-General’s Department is expected to save the state millions of cedis, funds which can now be redirected to more pressing development needs like health, education, infrastructure, and youth employment.
Next Steps for Affected Employees
The CAGD has made provisions to ensure the fair treatment of individuals who may be affected by these terminations or suspensions in error. Affected employees are encouraged to liaise directly with their institutions and ensure all documentation is properly submitted.
The list of affected employees is expected to be sent out electronically or in hard copy, depending on what is deemed most appropriate for the recipient institutions. This list will serve as a working document for both investigation and remedial processes.
Final Thoughts
This announcement by the Controller & Accountant-General’s Department should serve as a wake-up call to all public sector institutions to prioritize timely updates of staff records and actively participate in government-led payroll validation exercises.
For the public, this move strengthens the belief that the government is making serious strides toward eliminating waste and corruption from the public sector.
Summary of Key Points:
- 53,311 separated staff were identified on government payroll.
- 5,673 salaries suspended, pending investigation.
- 47,638 salaries terminated and removed from payroll.
Institutions instructed to recover unearned salaries.
Affected staff advised to obtain official letters to trigger remedial action.
Source: quarmsmedia.com