The Auditor-General of Ghana has issued a formal apology after a major error in its nationwide payroll audit incorrectly linked a public servant to an unearned salary of more than GH₵427 million.
The mistake emerged from the audit covering January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, after a media report based on findings by The Fourth Estate identified Frank Oliver Kpodo as having received GH₵427,995,661.40 in unearned salary. The report suggested the amount translated into an average monthly payment exceeding GH¢14 million.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Auditor-General clarified that the figure was the result of a transpositional error and was wrongly attributed to Mr. Kpodo.
According to the office, the GH₵427.9 million actually relates to payroll irregularities within the Ministry of Education Ghana, specifically involving 3,476 unaccounted-for staff identified during the audit.
The Auditor-General expressed regret over the incident, apologising to Mr. Kpodo, government institutions, and the public for the confusion and reputational harm caused.
“We extend our most sincere and unreserved apologies to Frank Oliver Kpodo for the distress and unwarranted public scrutiny this error may have caused,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a senior official at the Ministry of Defence Ghana received GH¢427 million in unearned salaries over a 29-month period.
The department maintained that Ghana’s payroll system has strict controls and automated processes that prevent such anomalies. It noted that only salaries approved under frameworks set by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission are processed for eligible employees.
CAGD further explained that salary payments undergo multiple layers of validation, including approvals by institutional heads and internal checks, before disbursement.
“Monthly salaries are paid to eligible employees on the Government of Ghana payroll after online validation… These payments are further subjected to internal quality processes to ensure accuracy,” the department stated.
Authorities say the clarification is intended to restore public confidence in the payroll system while addressing misinformation surrounding the audit findings.
