Ghana’s Education Ministry is investigating a suspected salary inflation scheme within the Ghana Education Service (GES), amid allegations of internal collusion that could point to a broader pattern of systemic payroll fraud in the public sector. The probe, now under parliamentary review, has intensified following revelations that some GES staff received salaries well above their authorized pay grades.
Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak, appearing before lawmakers Friday, pointed to evidence of collusion between staff of the GES and officials responsible for salary disbursements. He indicated that the anomalies were not accidental but part of a deliberate effort to siphon state funds.
“The aspect of dishonesty cannot be overlooked, but I must state that we know of instances of collusion,” Dr. Apaak told the committee. “Let’s not mince words. It is very strange that the Controller and Accountant General would, on their own, authorize payments to GES staff above approved salary levels.”
The Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the GES and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), has launched a probe aimed at uncovering the individuals behind the scheme. Dr. Apaak pledged that “those who have made it their mission to fleece the state” would be identified and held accountable.
The inquiry forms part of a broader investigation into payroll discrepancies flagged by the Auditor-General. The irregularities, officials say, may involve longstanding structural weaknesses in salary oversight systems, which are being exploited by insiders.
The scandal comes just months after a High Court in Tamale convicted six individuals for their roles in a separate GES-related payroll fraud, which included the use of ghost names and forged documentation to claim unearned salaries. Those convictions were secured under the OSP’s plea bargaining framework and included full restitution to the state.
While no formal charges have yet been announced in the latest case, Dr. Apaak signaled that disciplinary and criminal proceedings could follow once the internal review concludes.
