Patrick Senyo Amegago, an official from the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) in the Upper East Region, has disclosed the presence of individuals on the government payroll who receive monthly salaries without performing any work. According to Amegago, these individuals collaborate with agents to manipulate the system, adding unauthorized names to the payroll and collecting salaries without rendering any services.
Amegago revealed that some individuals engaged in such fraudulent activities have already faced prosecution, while others are currently undergoing legal proceedings. He highlighted the deceptive methods employed by these individuals, emphasizing that they secure a spot on the Government of Ghana payroll despite not being legitimate state employees.
During an interview with Bolgatanga-based Dreamz FM, Amegago expressed EOCO’s commitment to pursuing legal action against these individuals. He clarified that the focus extends beyond recovering the embezzled funds, with an emphasis on holding the culprits accountable through prosecution.
“While we have been focused on recovering stolen monies back to the state, that doesn’t mean that if we take the money from you, you are going scot-free. We have recovered a lot for the state, and these people are facing prosecution,” he emphasized.
The prevalence of ‘ghost names’ on the government payroll has persistently posed a challenge, and previous efforts to eliminate such fraudulent entries have encountered limited success.