Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has been urged to take steps to stop unearned salaries in the public sector.
North East Regional Minister, Solomon Boar, who made the call, said it was prudent for the CAGD to liaise with other state departments to put an immediate end to the issue of unearned salaries.
According to the Regional Minister, the country was losing a lot of money annually to people who do not deserve it.
He said the unearned salaries were a drain on the public purse, and something urgent ought to be done to halt it.
Mr Boar stated these when the Controller and Accountant General, Eugene Ofosuhene, paid a courtesy called on him at his office last Friday.
Mr Ofosuhene was in the region to interact with staff of the CAGD
to acquaint himself with their challenges and concerns.
The minister said it was worrying and unpatriotic for people to go on retirement and still draw salaries, adding that stopping the unearned salaries would enable government to use such funds to address other developmental challenges.
Mr Boar also expressed the need to improve network connectivity in rural areas to help the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to efficiently and timeously use the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
Mr Ofosuhene, on his part, said it was important for ministries, departments and agencies to assist his outfit to clean the pay roll.
This, he said, could be done by regularly deleting the names of deceased, resigned and retired staff to stop the unearned salary phenomenon.
He reaffirmed his readiness to intensify monitoring and supervision, stressing that he would not be an arm-chair Controller and Accountant General.
FROM YAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED, TAMALE
