The instruction emphasizes how important it is to possess a Ghana Card in order to ensure that identification and paperwork requirements are met before payment is disbursed.
According to Controller and Accountant General Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, government workers who do not have a Ghana Card could forfeit their salaries.
The announcement follows the introduction of a software solution that connects the databases of the Mechanized Payroll System of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) and the National Identification Authority (NIA).
This integration’s purpose is to verify and validate government staff salaries.
The initiative’s goal is to eliminate “ghost names” from government payrolls so that only actual public sector employees are paid.
This strategy, which improves accountability, efficiency, and openness in the use of public funds, is consistent with the government’s commitment to sound financial management.
At the CAGD headquarters in Accra, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia formally unveiled this cutting-edge system, signaling a critical turning point in the government’s digitalization agenda.
The Ministry of Finance, the NIA, the CAGD, and the Office of the Vice President all partnered on the project.
Bawumia highlighted the ceremony’s historic relevance, calling it a significant turning point in history.
He emphasised how the government has successfully deployed soft infrastructure, allowing for achievements on par with those of more developed nations.
The Vice President expressed confidence that the technology would successfully identify and eliminate fictitious employees, sometimes known as “ghost names,” thereby thwarting corruption in payroll administration.
He gave the example of the National Service Secretariat in 2022, where the identification and elimination of 14,027 “ghost names” saved the country GH¢120 million.
