The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has uncovered widespread corruption within the Ghana Education Service (GES), involving the existence of fake schools, forged appointment letters, and the validation of non-existent staff—commonly referred to as “ghost names.”
Speaking at the opening of a two-day West Africa Regional Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue in Accra on Monday, 2nd June, the Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, called for stronger collaboration between institutional heads and anti-corruption bodies to address the growing challenge.
In his speech, Mr. Agyebeng revealed several corrupt practices currently under investigation in key public institutions.
“I am glad that the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Samuel Kaba, and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, and the Director-General of Governmental Services [are here]. The two of you have walked into an ongoing investigation,” Mr. Agyebeng stated.
“All I am saying is that, in reference to your practice—in reference to corrupt actors—we are seeing unbelievable and new forms of corruption that are seriously undermining education and healthcare.”
He continued: “In your sector, we are discovering officers claiming money and accessing facilities for non-existent schools.
“We are also finding people carrying laptops with the Director-General’s signature, issuing fake appointment letters wherever they go, claiming to be appointing teachers, and collecting money in the process. I must caution you—they may soon do this to you if they haven’t already. I apologise for raising this publicly without informing you first.”
He added, “In your sector, and I say this because we have done more work in your sector than the other, we are uncovering cases where ‘health teachers’—whatever that means—are validating non-existent persons for salary payments.”
Mr. Agyebeng further referenced a recent court case: “Just two weeks ago at the High Court in Tamale, six individuals were convicted on their own plea, through a plea bargaining arrangement with the Office of the Special Prosecutor. We recovered GH₵106,000 for the state.
“Now, don’t focus on the amount—focus on the principle. What we are witnessing is that the country is being overwhelmed. And by that, I mean we as a nation are being inundated by the actions of corrupt individuals on the ground,” he noted.
Background
A joint investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) revealed that GH₵2.85 million in unearned salaries had been paid to “ghost names”—individuals who are deceased, retired, missing, or no longer at post—in the Northern Region.
The probe uncovered the existence of unauthorised validators managing payrolls in educational institutions under the GES and at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. A primary school in the Kumbungu District was also found to be entirely fictitious, yet had supposed staff receiving monthly salaries.
The Office added, “By blocking these payments and removing the corresponding individuals from the Government Payroll, the Republic saved GH₵34,249,737.60 for the 2024 financial year.”
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