Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has blown the lid off a startling payroll scandal, revealing that a nationwide audit has unearthed GH¢150 million in unearned public sector salaries—largely due to ghost names and systemic payroll failures.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday during the conclusion of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review debate, Ayariga disclosed that a staggering 53,311 separated public servants, individuals no longer in government service, continue to receive salaries, while 14,000 others remain unverified.
“This exposes the depth of corruption within the public payroll system. GH¢150 million in salaries have gone to people who shouldn’t be on the payroll. That’s a colossal loss to the state,” he stated.
Also Read: “I can’t afford lorry fare to Parliament – Weija-Gbawe MP Jerry Ahmed laments
He credited the Finance Minister for launching the audit as part of broader reforms aimed at plugging financial leakages and enforcing fiscal discipline.
“The Minister is falling on the sword of reform. This payroll audit is only the beginning. We are determined to plug every leak,” he said.
Ayariga also pushed back against opposition criticism that the Mahama administration is underspending. He argued that the government is prioritising value for money over grandiose but wasteful expenditures.
“What value does the state get when GH¢280 million is spent on a Bank of Ghana headquarters that could have been built for GH¢81 million? Or when hundreds of millions go into a cathedral project that never materialised?”
He said the current administration is focused on smart, strategic, and impactful investments that deliver results, not politically motivated monuments.
Explaining conomic progress under the Mahama administration, Ayariga touted improved fundamentals:”The fiscal deficit has dropped from 10.7% in 2022 to just 1.1% in 2025; Inflation is down, interest rates are lower, and the cedi has strengthened, driven by disciplined macroeconomic management.”
He also announced that the debt-to-GDP ratio has declined from 61.8% in December 2024 to 55%, while gross international reserves have risen to $11.12 billion, covering nearly five months of imports.
Responding to Minority concerns over job creation, Ayariga said economic stability is spurring a recovery in private sector activity. With government borrowing down, banks are now more willing to lend.
“There is liquidity in the system. The government is no longer crowding out the private sector. MPs are being chased with loan offers!” he said.
He insisted that the real jobs are emerging in the private sector, thanks to lower interest rates, declining inflation, and exchange rate stability.
The Majority leader revealed that capital expenditure for 2025 stands at GH¢32.9 billion, up from GH¢28.7 billion in 2024. Budget allocations for flagship social programmes—including Free SHS, LEAP, and capitation grants—have all increased.
“For the first time, we are also supporting 60 private senior high schools. This expands inclusiveness in our social investments,” he said.
Mahama Ayariga backed the Finance Ministry’s concerns about revenue losses due to smuggling and called for enhanced border enforcement by security agencies.
He dismissed the opposition’s continued reference to global shocks like the Russia-Ukraine war as excuses for economic mismanagement.
“Russia is still firing missiles into Ukraine, but our economy is improving. The cedi is stronger, prices are falling, and fuel is cheaper. So what’s the excuse now?”
Hon. Ayariga reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting corruption, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and ensuring every cedi spent benefits Ghanaians.
“We will spend—but we will spend wisely. Not on cathedrals or inflated contracts. We are building a future that is fiscally sound and socially just,” he added.