Study leave abusers face sack, says Accountant-General
Government intensifies crackdown on payroll abuse
The government is taking a hard line against public workers who abuse study leave privileges. According to Ghana’s Controller and Accountant-General, Kwasi Agyei, civil servants who fail to return after their study leave with pay will face automatic termination.
“You will no longer be paid after your leave expires,” he warned, adding that such absentees will not remain on the payroll until pension age. This directive forms part of a larger cleanup of Ghana’s bloated wage bill, which now consumes over 57% of domestic revenue.
Mr. Agyei disclosed that moving forward, termination will occur the moment study leave ends—unless reactivation protocols are followed. The system aims to curb a growing problem: employees who vanish after benefiting from paid study periods, yet remain on the books as salaried staff.
Ghost names and the tech response
Speaking after a press briefing on the upcoming African Association of Accountant-Generals (AAAG) conference, Mr. Agyei emphasized the urgency of payroll sanitization. Ghana is deploying handheld biometric devices to verify public sector employees using their national ID numbers.
“If you don’t clean the system, ghost workers continue to receive pay,” he said. He explained that false validations by complicit supervisors had allowed ghost names to thrive, despite repeated audits and warnings.
The Controller’s department is now automating checks, linking payroll entries to digital identity systems, and assigning accountability to validators who approve unverified employees.
Ghana to host pan-African finance summit
From November 24 to 28, 2025, Accra will host the 3rd Annual Conference of the African Association of Accountant-Generals (AAAG). Under the theme “Africa of Tomorrow: Positioning Public Finance Management for Economic Prosperity,” the conference will gather over 2,000 financial professionals, policymakers, and innovators.
Kwasi Agyei highlighted Ghana’s leadership in public finance reform and digital transformation. “This conference is a chance to shape Africa’s financial future,” he said.
The CEO of AAAG, Fredrick Riaga, called the theme a wake-up call for African governments to embrace AI, digitalisation, climate budgeting, and strong fiscal governance. He emphasized that agile systems could unlock Africa’s vast potential and boost public trust.
Chairperson Malehlohonolo Mahase echoed this, noting that transforming public finance is key to building a transparent, accountable, and resilient Africa. “We must rethink how we manage public resources,” she said.
A system overdue for change
Ghana’s reforms are part of a growing movement to modernize Public Financial Management (PFM). By tackling issues like study leave abuse and ghost workers, the country signals a serious shift in how it handles state resources.
The message is clear: if you’re not in the system with verified presence, you’re out.
This momentum sets a precedent not just for Ghana but for the continent. With the upcoming AAAG conference as a backdrop, the country is positioning itself as both a reformer and a regional trailblazer in public finance.
