The Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has announced that government has removed more than 67,000 ghost names from the public sector payroll, generating savings of millions of cedis.
Speaking at the 2026 Controller and Accountant-General’s Department Retreat in Koforidua on Wednesday, he said the exercise forms part of ongoing reforms to improve public financial management and ensure that state resources are properly used.
The Deputy Minister explained that the payroll clean-up was initiated after reviews revealed irregularities, unverifiable records and duplicated entries within the salary system.
“Our payroll reforms have eliminated over 67,000 ghost names. This has saved government millions of cedis and ensured that public resources are used for their intended purpose”, he said.
He noted that the anomalies had for years increased pressure on the wage bill and diverted funds away from key sectors, adding that government hass introduced stricter verification measures, including biometric validation, data reconciliation and stronger monitoring systems to identify and remove ineligible names.
“The savings realised from this exercise will create room for more investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure and other essential services,” he stated.
Mr. Nyarko Ampem said the reforms are also aimed at promoting transparency and fairness in the public sector compensation system, noting that with a cleaner payroll database, they now have accurate information for planning recruitment, budgeting and managing the public workforce efficiently.
The Deputy Minister stated that “We are building a system where only genuine workers receive salaries. Public funds must serve the people, not fraudulent schemes.”
He said measures such as regular audits, stricter approval processes, closer institutional collaboration and the use of digital tools will help sustain the gains made.
According to him, similar reforms have been extended to other state-supported payment systems where irregularities had been identified.
Mr. Nyarko Ampem commended institutions that supported the exercise and assured public sector workers that the reforms are designed to strengthen the system and ensure prompt salary payments.
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
