In a bid to eliminate ghost names from the government's payroll, the Controller and Accountant General's Department (CAGD) has announced a new directive that will see the salaries of public sector workers without Ghana Card numbers frozen starting February 2024.
The decision was made following discussions between the CAGD and the National Identification Authority (NIA) regarding a special registration exercise for individuals yet to acquire the Ghana Card.
The dialogue took place during a meeting on October 11, 2023, where proposed timelines for the registration were deliberated.
However, a subsequent miscommunication emerged as the CAGD sought consent and agreement from the NIA regarding the proposed timelines.
The NIA responded, stating their prior communication about the unfeasibility of a special registration exercise and the initiation of general registration, which commenced on September 4.
The general registration includes a specific focus on public sector employees on the government payroll.
In response to the NIA's stance, the CAGD issued a crucial advisory to its staff and members, urging them to register for their Ghana Cards at any of the 292 NIA offices nationwide.
Notably, the CAGD emphasized that government employees are a priority for compliance with the new directive.
The move is part of broader measures to enhance transparency and accuracy in public sector payroll management, aiming to ensure that salaries are disbursed only to legitimate beneficiaries with valid Ghana Card identification.