The Auditor-General’s Office has withdrawn a major error in its nationwide payroll audit report, admitting that it wrongly attributed GH¢427,995,661.40 in unearned salaries to a single public servant, Frank Oliver Kpodo.

In a press release dated April 21, 2026, the Office clarified that the amount was not received by Mr Kpodo, but rather related to payroll irregularities involving 3,476 unaccounted staff under the Ministry of Education.

“We wish to state that the amount attributed to Mr Kpodo above was due to a transpositional error,” the statement, signed by Assistant Director of Audit Frederick Lokko, said.

The original report, dated November 20, 2025, generated public reaction after media reports suggested one individual had received nearly GH¢428 million in unearned salary payments.

The Auditor-General’s Office apologised directly to Mr Kpodo, saying the mistake had caused him distress and subjected him to unnecessary public scrutiny.

“We offer our most sincere and unreserved apologies to Mr Frank Oliver Kpodo for the distress and unwarranted public scrutiny this error may have caused,” the release added.

The Office also apologised to the government, the people of Ghana, and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

According to the corrected figures, the Ministry of Education recorded the highest number of payroll anomalies, with 3,476 unaccounted staff valued at GH¢427,995,661.40.

The Ministry of Health followed with 1,363 unaccounted staff worth GH¢166,869,874.19, while the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had 597 staff valued at GH¢84,777,594.97.

In all, the payroll audit identified 6,270 unaccounted staff across 34 public institutions, with a combined value of GH¢801,808,427.04.