Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has sounded the alarm over rampant payroll fraud in Ghana’s public sector, revealing that about 14,000 individuals cannot be accounted for on the government’s payroll system.
Dr. Forson described the situation as deeply worrying and unacceptable Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show following his presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review,
“So far, we’ve found about **14,000 people that we can’t validate. We can’t find them. They may be ghosts. They are across sectors,” he stated.
He emphasized that these individuals “are not supposed to be on the payroll” and that the findings point to a deliberate scheme being perpetuated across various departments.
“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 did not mince words as he issued a strong warning to public officials who may have played a role in approving these ghost names.
“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,” he said.
