Fake school with employees Being Paid; Busted By CAGD and OSP Investigations
Fake school with employees Being Paid; Busted By CAGD and OSP Investigations
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and Controller & Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) uncovered a massive payroll fraud in Ghana’s Northern Region. Millions were lost to “ghost employees” at a fake school and to those who are deceased, retired, or otherwise ineligible for salaries. Blocking these payments frees up funds for potential salary adjustments in the future. The investigation is ongoing and will expand to other regions.
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The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller & Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) have released their findings on the Government of Ghana’s Payroll Administration, specifically focusing on employees in the Northern Region. This investigation encompassed educational institutions under the Ghana Education Service and the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
The OSP and CAGD found that the payroll system in the Northern Region is plagued by a significant number of unauthorized and inactive validators. Notably, they discovered that a primary school in the Kumbungu District of the Ghana Education Service did not exist at all. Despite its non-existence, this fabricated entity was listed as staffed, and the supposed staff members were being validated monthly and receiving salaries.
The investigation uncovered a staggering amount of GHC2,854,144.80 in unearned monthly salaries. These payments were attributed to individuals who were deceased, retired, no longer in their positions, flagged as missing, or whose whereabouts were unknown—commonly referred to as “Ghost Names.” By blocking these payments and removing the corresponding individuals from the Government Payroll, the Republic saved GHC34,249,737.60 for the 2024 financial year. Additionally, ongoing savings are expected in subsequent years, alongside potential upward pay adjustments, thanks to the detection of these unearned salaries facilitated by the joint investigation of the OSP.
The OSP and CAGD are continuing their enhanced investigation into the educational institutions under the Ghana Education Service in the Northern Region and the Tamale Teaching Hospital. This effort aims at prosecuting individuals who promoted the non-existent school and validated the salaries of deceased, untraceable, and retired persons, as well as those who have vacated their posts.
Subsequent phases of the investigation will extend to the remaining fifteen regions.
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