The Vice President of Ghana has announced a new digital system aimed at eliminating “ghost names” on the government payroll, saying it will save the country “the huge costs of regular Payroll Audits”
In a statement on his X page, the Vice President revealed the new system which will link the Government of Ghana’s National Mechanised Payroll Database to the National Identification Authority (NIA) Database. This will allow real-time biometric validation and verification of both new and existing employees.
Ghana has been struggling for years to deal with the problem of “ghost names” – fake or non-existent employees illegally collecting salaries and benefits. A 2022 report on government waste, stated that Ghana loses up to GH¢100 million to ghost names on the government’s payroll annually. This is contained in the Government Waste
“This new system will ensure real time validation and verification of all government employees, improving data accuracy for decision making,” the Vice President said on his X page. “It will enhance transparency and accountability, while also saving the huge costs associated with regular payroll audits since the data can be audited at any time.”
The decentralized biometric verification centers across Ghana will allow users to validate their identities locally, without having to travel to Accra. This is expected to improve accessibility and convenience.
The system has been developed to tackle the persistent problem of “ghost names” on the government payroll – where salaries are drawn by non-existent employees. It is hoped the new digital solution will eliminate this phenomenon and ensure payroll funds go directly to legitimate workers.
The Vice President expressed confidence on his X page that the new system demonstrates the government’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve efficiency and accountability. He said it would lead to significant savings for the government in the coming years.
