The phenomenon of ghost names continues to haunt most of our public institutions in the country. Despite efforts by the government to exorcise ghost names on the payrolls, certain unscrupulous characters have made it their business to profit from this canker.
The institutions seriously affected by this “disease” are the ones that have huge labour forces, such as the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Health Service and the Local Government Service.
Notwithstanding efforts to sanitise the payrolls, the business of ghost names thrives because it has become a syndicate involving the workers, the “big men” and some officials of the banks.
Obviously, there must be some connivance from officials of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD), otherwise in this age of salaries being paid through the banks, one wonders how the state should be losing millions through this dubious means.
It is unfortunate that the ghost names syndrome is growing at the time staff audits have been carried out in most of the state organisations. The Ministry of Finance, not too long ago, embarked on an initiative to rid government payrolls of ghost names. It is about time government institutions with big labour forces found a way of plugging the loopholes, such that the unscrupulous elements will be smoked out to save resources to expand the organisations.
But our premier hospital has started an exercise to eliminate ghost names from its payroll. This initiative is paying off, as reports say a special audit of 690 newly employed staff at the hospital has resulted in the government saving GHC5 million. Even with this modest gain, Korle Bu still has about 1,052 workers who cannot be accounted for after a head count.
The Daily Graphic is saddened by the behaviour of the few lucky Ghanaians who have been employed to work in government institutions who, by virtue of this privilege, tend to work for personal gain, instead of serving the public good. In all our public institutions and also in the private ones, a few people charged with the responsibility of helping to build the economy rather plunder the resources of the state.
The pillage of the resources of the state in recent times must be a matter of concern to everybody. It does not matter whether you are in government, in opposition or an ordinary person; it is important that we all put our shoulders to the wheel and deal with the challenges that hinder national development.
We have not been performing very well on the global survey in corruption in recent times. Sometimes when the results are announced, we reduce the debate to a contest between the political divide as to whose tenure was the index most unfavourable, instead of resolving collectively to fight those who are involved in corrupt deals.
Some of these negative things such as ghost names on our payrolls and naked “robbery” by public officials who collect money before offering services to the public are factors that fuel the perception that Ghana is a corrupt country.
The Daily Graphic appeals to all Ghanaians to join the crusade to rid our society off corrupt elements who want to live flamboyant lifestyles without working hard to make money to live well.
The state must also crack the whip on anybody found to have been involved in corrupt practices to serve as a deterrent to others.
