Interior Ministry orders GIS officers to refund GH₵57,006

Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior has issued a directive to two officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to refund a total of GH₵57,006 in unearned salaries. The order, which was highlighted during a recent parliamentary meeting, sets a deadline of November 7, 2026, for the full recovery of the funds. This action follows the identification of financial irregularities by the Auditor-General concerning individuals who remained on the payroll despite no longer being in active service. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak informed the committee that the funds are being recovered from a resigned inspector and another officer who failed to return to post after taking leave. The Minister emphasized that the state is committed to retrieving every cedi paid out irregularly, as these cases represent a significant lapse in payroll oversight. The directive serves as a formal notice to the affected individuals to settle their debts to the state within the two-year window provided. A stern warning was also issued to the administrative officials who authorized or failed to stop these irregular payments. Minister Mohammed-Mubarak noted that if the GIS fails to recover the GH₵57,006 by the stipulated deadline, the officers responsible for salary validation could be held personally and financially liable for the loss. This move is part of a broader effort to enforce accountability among those tasked with managing public funds and payroll systems. To address the root cause of these irregularities, the Ministry discussed plans to implement a new human resource management system designed to improve the accuracy of salary validation. This system is expected to provide better integration between personnel records and the payroll, ensuring that officers who resign or go on unauthorized leave are automatically flagged and removed from the payment cycle. The parliamentary committee has urged the Ministry to expedite these reforms to safeguard public resources and prevent future audit queries.