The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has vowed that the government will take strict action against public officials implicated in payroll infractions, stressing that the long-standing issue of paying salaries and allowances to individuals who have not worked must end immediately.
Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, August 25, 2025, during deliberations on the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report, Mr. Ampem warned that culprits will be exposed and sanctioned.
“We’re going to expose and deal with officers who validate people who have not worked for salaries and allowances yet continue to enjoy such benefits,” he declared.
The Controller and Accountant-General, Kwasi Agyei, also disclosed that his office is working closely with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and other security agencies to investigate payroll malpractices cited in the Auditor-General’s report.
According to him, simply recovering funds is not enough.
“We shouldn’t just stop at recovery. The audit report identifies recipients and their staff IDs. With the audit trail, we can trace who processed the unearned allowances and bring them to book,” Mr. Agyei explained.
The PAC expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of financial irregularities captured in the report, which included:
- Unearned salaries
- Responsibility allowances paid to unqualified staff
- Overpayment of wages
Government officials have assured the public that those found culpable will face sanctions as part of efforts to protect the public purse and strengthen accountability in the public sector.
