Acting Controller and Accountant General,  Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem has indicated that since the introduction of the Electronic Salary Payment System (ESPV) in 2014, ghost workers on government payroll have reduced to a large extent.

He said the ESPV was one of the measures aimed at ensuring the integrity of Government Payroll for the prevention of payment of unearned salaries.

He hinted that the Department had undertaken a number of initiatives and reforms aimed at enhancing its output as the gatekeeper and protector of the public purse and finances of the state.

Mr. Kwaning-Bosompem made the declaration at the just ended Annual Conference of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) in Takoradi.

He added that the flagship of the interventions had been the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), the core electronic platform for prudent and transparent public financial management as prescribed by the Public Financial Management Act, Act 921 of 2016.

According to him, GIFMIS has been deployed in virtually all covered entities, Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other para-statals throughout the country.

He said the numerous training programmes for staff of the Department were part of the efforts by Management to up-skill, upgrade and provide additional knowledge to staff for peak performance under the Continuous Development Programme (CDP) of the Department.

In the same vein, Managements of the Welfare scheme and the Provident Funds have been reconstituted, rejuvenated and empowered to take good care of the finances and well-being of staff.

He further announced that CAGD had acquired a fleet of vehicles for some of the regions and that it was working hard to get vehicles for all the regions.

Dr. Nana Ato Arthur who read a speech on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, maintained that issues that have to do with the credibility and integrity of employees on government payroll still remained a thorny and critical issue, which called for more to be done to completely clear undesirable names from the GOG payroll.

He welcomed all suggestions and proposals for the good of the Department and the nation and pledged the support of the Ministry in its efforts to enhance service delivery for maximum performance.