The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has moved to reassure the public over the credibility of the government payroll system following claims that a senior civil servant at the Ministry of Defence received GH¢427 million in unearned salaries over a 29-month period.
In a statement issued on April 20, 2026, the Department rejected the allegation and insisted that its payroll processes contain multiple safeguards that make such excessive payments impossible.
The response follows reports linking the CAGD to findings in a recent Auditor-General’s report, which suggested that the official may have received an average of more than GH¢14 million per month in salary payments that were not due.
However, the Department said salaries paid through the Government of Ghana payroll system are subject to strict controls, approved pay structures, and several stages of validation before payments are processed.
According to the CAGD, only workers who meet the required conditions of service and have been validated by the heads of their institutions are eligible for payment.
The Department added that its payroll system includes internal quality checks, variance analysis, verification of conditions of service, and bank reconciliation processes to detect irregularities and prevent overpayments.
It maintained that the current system does not allow employees to receive salaries above what is legally due to them.
The CAGD also urged caution in reporting allegations involving public finances, stressing the need for claims to be thoroughly verified before they are published.
The issue has sparked fresh discussion about accountability in public sector payroll management, even as the Department insists that its existing controls remain effective.
