Ghost names on public payroll costs Ghana government GH¢300m annually

The corrupt practice of padding salaries and generating “ghost names” on the public payroll, costs Ghana about GH¢300 million annually, according to the Ghana National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).

According to reports within the past two years, Ghana’s public sector had a staff size in the region of 800,000 with wages accounting for about 70 per cent of government’s revenue.

In January, a senior EU source was reported to have said that the ghost names were believed to account for 20 out of the 70 per cent spent on public sector compensation by government.

According to the Ministry of Finance, government’s target for the reduction in wage spending is 35 per cent of revenue by 2017.

The National Anti-Corruption Plan, adopted by Parliament in July 2014, is the national blueprint for combating corruption, intended to be integrated into the activities of state Ministries, Departments and Agencies and into Ghana’s long term development plans.

NACAP contains strategic action plans identified and agreed upon by stakeholders, including the private sector, during nationwide consultations.

It was formulated by a multi-sectoral working group of experts and anti-corruption practitioners and is said to draw insight from Kenya’s National Anti-Corruption Plan, Sierra Leonean Anti-Corruption Strategy, and Tanzania’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan.

By Emmanuel Odonkor

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