The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) is set to remove 3,120 teachers under the Ghana Education Service (GES) from the government payroll following the conclusion of a nationwide payroll audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General.
According to an official audit report dated 13 January 2026, a total of 6,263 public sector workers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), could not be accounted for during a nationwide headcount and verification exercise. These staff members were found on the mechanised payroll but were absent during the physical verification process, prompting recommendations for their immediate removal.
GES Accounts for the Highest Number of Unaccounted Staff
A closer look at the audit findings shows that the Ministry of Education recorded one of the highest numbers of unaccounted-for staff, with the Ghana Education Service alone accounting for 3,120 cases. This figure makes GES the single largest affected institution in the entire audit exercise.
In addition to GES, other education-related agencies were also cited. These include the Ministry of Education headquarters with 267 unaccounted staff, the Ghana TVET Service with 77, and the Ghana Library Board with four affected personnel. The figures raise serious concerns about payroll integrity and staff management within the education sector, particularly at a time when government continues to grapple with wage bill pressures.
Auditor-General Recommends Immediate Payroll Deletion
The Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, formally recommended the immediate deletion of all 6,263 unverified names from the payroll in a letter addressed to the Controller and Accountant-General. The report indicates that detailed breakdowns have already been submitted to CAGD to facilitate swift action.
The payroll clean-up exercise forms part of broader public financial management reforms aimed at eliminating ghost names, reducing waste, and ensuring that public funds are used efficiently.
Implications for Teachers and Education Sector
For teachers under GES, the development is likely to generate anxiety, especially among staff with unresolved documentation, reposting issues, or delayed validation on the payroll system. Education sector observers are advising affected teachers to urgently liaise with their district and regional education offices to confirm their payroll status and regularise any outstanding records.
The Ministry of Education and GES are expected to work closely with CAGD to address legitimate cases where teachers may have been wrongly flagged due to administrative gaps rather than absenteeism.
A Call for Stronger Payroll Controls in GES
The scale of unaccounted-for staff within GES once again highlights long-standing challenges with staff validation, posting records, and payroll management in the education sector. Analysts argue that regular headcounts, digitised staff records, and closer coordination between GES and CAGD are critical to preventing future occurrences.
As the payroll deletions take effect, stakeholders within the education sector will be watching closely to see how the Ministry of Education and GES respond, particularly in safeguarding genuinely employed teachers while supporting government efforts to protect public funds.
Source: GESHub.org
