The Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Agyei, has expressed concern over persistent salary-related irregularities in the public sector, especially within agencies under the Ministry of Education.
According to him, the infractions include unpaid salaries, overpayments, disbursements to individuals on study leave, and in some cases, allowances paid to deceased persons. These issues came to light during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing, where several government institutions were cited for such lapses.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Mr. Agyei emphasized that his office only disburses funds that have been validated by the appropriate authorities. He stressed that accountability lies with those who authorize and validate the payments.
“It is a worrying situation, but it seems that once salaries are recovered, the matter ends there. Yes, we may have recovered the money, but we need to address the root cause. Who caused it, who validated it, and who processed it for the payment to reach the Controller and Accountant General?” he questioned.
Mr. Agyei noted that his department intends to move beyond simply recovering funds, shifting focus to identifying accountability gaps in the entire process.
“For instance, if allowances are legitimately due, then who processed them for payment at the Controller and Accountant General’s office? This is what we want—to go beyond recovery and critically examine the whole system,” he added.
