Daniel Domelevo
The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has questioned the direct involvement of the Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo, in the ongoing exercise to eliminate ‘ghost names’ from the public payroll.
According to the group, several discussions are ongoing in a bid to rid the public payroll of unwanted names, some of which had been assessed by the Auditor General.
Speaking at a press conference to deliver its May Day message, CLOGSAG Executive Secretary Isaac Bampoe Addo stated that the Auditor General should rather focus on the efficacy of the earlier attempts and investigate the recurrence of ghost names instead of directly engaging in the exercise.
According to him, constitutional provisions which established the Auditor General bars him from the control of any individual or authority, hence disqualifies him from directly involving himself in the exercise.
This, according to the association, is because the final work of the Auditor General cannot be reviewed by others due to constitutional provisions, which make it the last resort for establishing value for money for activities, projects and programmes in the public sector.
CLOGSAG, therefore, asked the Auditor General not to take part in the ongoing elimination of ghost names from the payroll.
“Should the Auditor General be the one undertaking the exercise of eliminating ghost names? Which body would have to audit the work of the Auditor General,” the association quizzed.
“It’s significant to remind ourselves of some provisions in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. The Auditor General shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority. Taking up this exercise of ghost names elimination on the public sector payroll, the Auditor General’s direct involvement denies us the checks and balances in the execution of projects within the public services. After the Auditor General has completed its work on the ghost names in the public service, who is going to audit the work of the Auditor General?” Mr. Addo indicated.
CLOGAG also wants the Auditor General to focus on consultancies into the elimination of ghost names that have lasted for so many years and continue to be a drain on the national purse.
The E-Pay Roll and related consultancies have virtually become a permanent feature of the public service.
The association also expressed worry about the dangers the unending consultancies pose to its members, as well as government, since sensitive pieces of information are given to these agencies in the performance of their work.
CLOGSAG noted that this has led to identity theft, as details of some of its members have been used to procure items from companies and others being deducted for loans they have no knowledge of.
The Auditor General last year launched the National Payroll Verification exercise and entreated heads of government institutions to verify all staff to eliminate ghost names.
Currently, there is a suit before the Supreme Court which is seeking the interpretation of the powers of the Auditor General.
By Gibril Abdul Razak