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Ghana card database: 148,000 employees missing and multiple identities uncovered on payroll
Five hundred and thirty-three people on the Controller and Accountant-Generals Department (CAGD) payroll database have been found to have multiple identities.
In addition, 148,060 out of the about 601,000 employees on the database did not match any of the names on the national identification register, the Ghana Card database.
The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who made this known, said that was the outcome of the first phase of an exercise completed by the CAGD last week.
Addressing the opening of this year’s Internal Audit Conference organised by the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) in Accra yesterday, the Vice-President said the government would rely on the IAA to get to the bottom of the corruption associated with ‘ghost’ names on the government payroll.
The three-day conference, which is being attended by internal auditors from across the country, is on the theme: “Injecting fiscal discipline into resource mobilisation and utilisation for sustainable development: The role of internal auditors.”
“We were matching employees on the CAGD database with the Ghana Card ID and they completed the first phase last week. In all of cases of multiple identities, the employees have more than one CAGD’s accounts, with different employee numbers,” Dr Bawumia said.
“We are going to triangulate by checking from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) biometric database to see how we can match all of these,” he added.
Corruption
The Vice-President said even if the 148,000 people on the CAGD database who had so far not matched anybody on the Ghana Card register had not yet registered for the Ghana Card, they should be paying SSNIT, since they were on the CAGD database.
“It is also possible that some of those without these matching biometrics could also have multiple employee accounts, but we have to see. I have heard of ‘ghost’ workers, I have never heard of ghosts who are twins or triplets,” Dr Bawumia said.
To cut waste from the compensation budget, he said, the government was also working with the IAA to eliminate ‘ghost’ workers from the government payroll.
In that regard, he said, all public institutions had been directed to submit headcount copies of their monthly salary validation report to the IAA and the CAGD by the 15th day of every month for validation.
He said the IAA would, in turn, follow up on those reports and authenticate the existence of the staff and connect their productivity to the remuneration being paid by the government.
Through that, the Vice-President explained, the government was taking steps to save a lot of money from ‘ghost’ names and pursue those who did not work but got paid.
These and other strategic measures adopted by the government, he said, were to ensure fiscal discipline in the financial systems of the country and anchor economic sustainability.
Revenue mobilisation
As part of revenue mobilisation efforts, the Vice-President said the government was embarking on key reforms, including widening the tax net to increase tax revenue.
“The holistic digitalisation of the public sector service delivery of key institutions, as well as working to develop an audit information management system for internal auditors across the country, is a measure to seal loopholes, prevent corruption and enhance value for money in public spending,” he said.
Internal auditors
Touching on the role of internal auditors, Vice-President Bawumia said their preventive role across the public sector had enhanced fiscal discipline and saved the nation millions of cedis.
He said by their advice and vigilance, public sector waste and abuses had been minimised, while annual infractions reported by the Auditor-General had seen some level of decline between 2019 and 2020.
Dr Bawumia said the government would continue to restructure and reposition public sector internal audit as an important public financial management institution to put public officers on their toes towards observing fiscal discipline in spending public funds.
Going forward, he said, all internal auditors would be brought under the management, administrative and technical control and supervision of the new Internal Audit Service (IAS).
“The bill to establish the IAS has been developed and will be considered by Parliament soon. If we are able to resource internal auditors well, external auditors will have nothing or less to report on.
“So if I were the head of any government entity, I would err on the side of caution and apply the preventive approach to corruption by resourcing internal auditors to enable them to give of their best,” Vice-President Bawumia pointed out.
Payroll cleaning
The Director-General of the IAA, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, said the IAA, working through its internal auditors, had ensured that payroll fraud, ‘ghost’ names, unnecessary expenditure and waste in the public sector payroll were being reduced gradually.
To that end, he said, the IAA was collaborating with the CAGD, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Finance, to clean up the payroll on a monthly basis.
Office allocation
Dr Osae commended the government for allocating an office to the agency.
He said the passage of the Internal Audit Service Bill would bring all internal auditors under a single unit to properly position the agency to fight corruption.
He appealed for the rationalisation of the salaries of internal auditors, particularly those with metropolitan, municipal and district assembles (MMDAs), adding that if the government wanted to fight corruption, it must resource internal auditors.
Moral values
The Chairperson for the conference, Prof. Olivia A.T. Frimpong Kwapong, stressed the need to inculcate moral values in both adults and the younger generation in relation to money.
“If we are able to contain that and are content to live within our means, we can be sure of fiscal discipline among all stakeholders for sustainable development,” she said.
Source: www.graphic.com.gh
The Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited (GTD) in collaboration with the Department of Organisation and Human Resource Management, University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) has marked the 2026 World Safety Day Celebration in Accra.
The event held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at the Cedi Conference Centre, Legon was under the theme “Good Psychosocial Working Environment: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organizations.”
The day is observed globally to promote safe and healthy working conditions and to raise awareness about both physical and psychological risks at the workplace.
The event formed part of efforts by stakeholders to deepen national conversations on workplace safety, particularly the growing concern about psychosocial well being.
In his keynote address, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo stressed that workers must not be treated as machines but as human beings with dignity, rights and families.
He explained that unsafe work environments marked by fear, harassment, intimidation and excessive pressure reduce productivity and weaken organisations.
He noted that although physical hazards such as faulty equipment and unsafe buildings remain a concern, psychological risks including excessive workload, bullying, job insecurity and toxic communication are equally dangerous and must be addressed.
According to him, psychological hazards are real, measurable and preventable, and should be treated with the same urgency as physical risks.
He maintained that safe and healthy working conditions are not a luxury but a fundamental right that supports productivity and social justice.
Dr Pelpuo further stated that the government remains committed to strengthening occupational safety and health systems, adding that worker wellbeing is a core responsibility of leadership and not a public relations issue.
He urged employers to create environments where dignity is protected, and workers are empowered to speak without fear.
The Dean of University of Ghana Business School, Prof Ernest Y Tweneboah Koduah noted that the school is committed to shaping a better world of work that is equitable, productive and sustainable.
He announced that the school has secured accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to introduce a programme in organisational health and safety.
He explained that gaps in workplace safety in Ghana are linked to weak enforcement, underreporting and limited professional training.
He added that the new programme will equip graduates with the skills to prioritise employee wellbeing as a key organisational responsibility.
Prof Tweneboah Koduah urged organisations to assess psychosocial risks, invest in human resource capacity and create environments where workers can openly discuss mental health concerns.
He emphasised that collaboration between academia and industry is essential to addressing workplace safety challenges.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar of the University of Ghana, Emelia Naa Kwantsua Agyei Mensah described the event as historic, noting that it is the first time the university is marking the global observance.
She explained that the focus on psychosocial wellbeing reflects current realities in the world of work.
She stated that employee health, including mental and emotional wellbeing, directly affects productivity, morale and institutional performance.
Mrs Agyei Mensah added that the university is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for staff and students, beyond minimum legal requirements.
She called on leaders to reflect on the kind of workplaces they create and to prioritise the wellbeing of employees.
CEO of the GTDC, Prof Kobby on his part noted that its participation aligns with its commitment under the Riyadh Declaration, which calls on member states to improve infrastructure and public safety, as well as enhance services, transport, connectivity and accessibility.
He indicated that the company intends to use the platform to highlight Ghana’s readiness to implement the declaration, with a strong focus on worker safety and wellbeing as a foundation for sustainable tourism development.
The event brought together policymakers, academics, industry players and students to discuss strategies for improving workplace safety and promoting healthier work environments across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed that an escort convoy protecting civilians was attacked in Binduri in the Upper East Region, leaving three people dead.
In a press release issued on April 27, 2026, the military said the convoy, which was escorting about 140 civilians from Bawku to Bolgatanga, came under gunfire from unknown attackers.
It said the attackers shot at the convoy several times, killing three of the civilians being escorted and injuring one other person.
According to the statement, soldiers returned fire and were able to repel the attack. In the process, seven of the assailants were killed.
The military added that during a follow-up operation, weapons and ammunition were retrieved from a suspect who had taken refuge in a mosque.
The items included a G3 rifle, two loaded magazines, and additional rounds of ammunition.
It said ten other suspects have been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
The Ghana Armed Forces cautioned the public against engaging the military or any security agency during operations.
It extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured person a speedy recovery.
By: Jacob Aggrey
