The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has rejected claims circulating on social media that a senior civil servant at the Defence Ministry received unearned salaries amounting to GH¢427 million over a 29-month period.
The allegation, attributed to The Fourth Estate and reportedly published on April 20, 2026, suggested that the payments averaged more than GH¢14 million monthly and were highlighted in a recent report by the Auditor-General of Ghana covering January 2023 to June 2025.
In a formal response, the CAGD described the claims as misleading and defended the integrity of the government payroll system, emphasizing that it operates under strict controls and automated processes. According to the Department, only salary structures approved by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission are processed, and only for employees who meet stipulated conditions of service.
The Department further explained that salary payments are subject to multi-level validation. Monthly payroll disbursements, it noted, are approved by heads of covered entities following online verification of eligible staff.
In addition, internal quality assurance mechanisms are applied to scrutinize salary ranges, detect irregular variances, confirm compliance with conditions of service, and verify total payments before they are transferred to banks.
On the basis of these safeguards, the CAGD maintained that such an overpayment scenario is not feasible under the current payroll system, stating that it is impossible for a government employee to receive remuneration beyond what is legally due.
The Department also urged restraint in the circulation of unverified claims, highlighting its open-door policy and willingness to engage with stakeholders to clarify payroll-related concerns.
The clarification comes amid increased public scrutiny of government expenditure and renewed attention to accountability within Ghana’s public sector payroll systems.
