AG's Department takes steps to check ghost names

The Ministry of Finance and the Auditor General's Department in collaboration with the Police have begun an exercise to expunge from government payroll all ghost names.

The exercise aims to detect, investigate and prosecute any individual or group of persons involved in perpetuating "such dubious acts that have taken a toll on the nation's coffers", Mr Edward Dua Agyeman, Acting Auditor General told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Friday.

The exercise, which is in three phases, started simultaneously last week in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). It started with the Police to demonstrate the department's determination to ensure that those who would help make the exercise successful were themselves clean, Mr Dua Agyeman noted.

The first phase would involve headcount of workers and those who might not be at post when the inspection team calls would forfeit their next salary.

"If anyone fails to fill the (headcount) form, the following month's pay would be forfeited. You will be taken to be non-existent, unless you go to rectify it."

Mr Agyeman explained that workers on leave would be deemed uncounted until they report to the Auditor General's Department to fill the appropriate forms.

He said after the exercise the headcount forms would be marked against payrolls of the organisation concerned and names not captured would have their salaries suspended. "If the person is not a ghost he will report."

The second phase of the exercise would be to remove the ghost names from the payroll. "We have to find out how they got onto the payroll and find solution after knowing how they got there''.

Mr Agyeman said with the collaboration of the police, they would then set out to retrieve all monies that the 'ghosts' have banked.

The third phase will be the establishment of a special section to audit payrolls, reporting directly to the Auditor General. Mr Agyeman said this section would, if possible, audit salaries before they were paid every month or immediately after payment.

Meanwhile Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku, Inspector General of Police, has directed police regional and district commanders to give maximum cooperation to the officers from the Auditor General's Department.

He has also asked the police to investigate any anomaly that might be detected in the course of the exercise.