Fresh revelations from the Auditor-General’s 2024 report have exposed a troubling case of unearned salaries and responsibility allowances within the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday, August 22, Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Abas Apaak confirmed that some head teachers had validated deceased staff, leading to continued payments of their salaries. PAC directed those implicated to refund the monies within 30 days.
The report further uncovered financial irregularities enabled by weak internal controls and poor oversight. This development frustrated Committee members, with Ranking Member Samuel Atta Mills questioning why the issue of unearned salaries persisted yearly. He exclaimed, “Awurade nyankopon…GES, this is a problem ooo…Who is keeping an eye on this, to stop these infractions?”
Dr Apaak assured the Committee that stricter measures would be put in place to rectify the situation. He added that dishonesty and collusion among staff were fueling the problem and vowed to expose those involved.
Responsibility allowances, according to GES, are designated for specific staff categories such as deputy directors, assistant directors, principal superintendents, school heads, heads of departments, and senior administrative officers. However, irregularities in their disbursement remain under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the government has launched a nationwide payroll audit aimed at eliminating ghost workers. Earlier this year, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department terminated salaries of thousands of inactive employees and began efforts to recover wrongful payments.
