The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has dismissed claims that a senior official at the Ministry of Defence received GH¢427 million in payroll fraud over 29 months.
The reports, linked to an April 20 publication by The Fourth Estate, alleged that the official earned more than GH¢14 million each month. The claims also suggested that the figures appeared in a recent Auditor-General’s report covering January 2023 to June 2025.
In response, the CAGD strongly rejected the claims and described them as misleading. The Department explained that Ghana’s public payroll system has strict controls that prevent such errors.
“The Government payroll system runs on controls and automations which allow only approved pay structures by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to be processed for employees eligible under their conditions of service,” the Department stated.
The CAGD said several checks guide every salary payment. It noted that heads of institutions must approve payments before the government releases any funds.
“Monthly salaries are paid to eligible employees on the Government of Ghana payroll after online validation of these payments by the Heads of the various Covered Entities,” the statement said.
The Department added that it runs extra internal checks to ensure all payments remain accurate and follow approved structures.
“These monthly payments are further subjected to internal quality processes to validate each salary payment in terms of acceptable ranges with particular focus on monthly variances, validation of condition of service, above range analysis, validation of total payments to the bank, among others.”
Based on these systems, the CAGD insisted that such an overpayment could not happen.
“It is therefore impossible under the current payroll arrangement to pay a government employee salary in excess of what is legally due that employee,” it emphasised.
The Department also advised the public and media to verify information before sharing it. It stressed that it remains open to addressing concerns.
“The CAGD maintains an open-door policy, and we therefore expect that any such claims should be verified before publication.”
