Source: newsthemegh.com
All government employees have received a strong warning from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) in an effort to guarantee correct records and remove ghost workers from the payroll system.
The government has said that starting in February 2024, employees who are paid by it but do not provide their National Identity Authority (NIA) numbers would have their salary withheld.
Following several meetings with pertinent parties, a timeframe for registration was agreed upon, and this decision was made.
For the registration of eligible Ghanaians aged 15 and above, including those employed by the government in the public sector, the NIA has already opened its offices around the country.
September 4, 2023 marked the beginning of the registration procedure, which will run through January.
Employees are encouraged to take advantage of the current universal registration at all 24 NIA offices, according to a statement released by Wisdom Komlan Messan, Deputy Controller and Accountant-universal.
At the registration centers, priority will be given to these people. The purpose of this instruction is to guarantee that, within the allotted time, all government employees receive their NIA cards.
It should be mentioned that the Controller and Accountant-General have already issued similar directives.
This will be the second time in the last two years that the department has taken this step in an attempt to increase the payroll system’s accuracy and integrity.
In order to solve the problem of ghost workers and create accurate records of every government employee, this instruction must be put into action.
The CAGD thinks they can stop any possible fraud and make sure that only qualified people get paid by associating NIA numbers with salary disbursements.
Therefore, it is recommended that government employees take early action and make sure they register for their NIA cards before the deadline.
If they don’t, their salaries could be seized starting in February 2024.
This instruction is a first step toward accomplishing the CAGD’s objective of preserving accountability and transparency in the payroll system.