President John Dramani Mahama has called for bold and immediate action to decentralize the Accountant General’s Department. He believes the current centralized system makes it difficult to track public workers across the country and has contributed to issues such as payroll fraud, ghost names and delayed financial reporting.
Speaking at a public financial management forum, Mahama stated that salaries of some public workers continue to be paid even when they are absent or no longer at post because verification is slow and controlled only from Accra. He explained that decentralizing the department will allow district and regional offices to manage payroll and financial records more efficiently.
Mahama also highlighted examples where salaries were paid to employees who had either deserted their jobs or passed away. He said these situations have occurred because the centralized structure does not allow for quick detection and timely updates from local offices.
The proposed decentralization is aimed at improving transparency, strengthening accountability and ensuring that financial governance is accessible across all regions. According to Mahama, district-level treasuries and local verification systems will make it easier to confirm the presence and active service of teachers, nurses and other public workers.
He added that a decentralized Accountant General’s Department will support effective monitoring, reduce waste and improve public trust in government financial systems. The focus, he said, should be on modernizing financial management and bringing oversight closer to the communities where public workers operate.
The call forms part of a broader national effort to enhance financial discipline, curb losses and promote fair and efficient use of public resources.
Source: AbeikusantaTV.com
