The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has outlined a series of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and efficiency in Ghana’s public financial management system.
The reforms include tighter payroll verification systems, a transition to electronic payments and plans for decentralised recruitment to strengthen service delivery across the country.
Controller and Accountant-General, Mr. Kwasi Agyei, disclosed the measures during a meeting with the Volta Regional Minister, Mr. James Gunu, in Ho, as part of a working visit to the Volta Region.
Mr. Agyei said one of the Department’s major reforms involves integrating pension and payroll databases with systems operated by the National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Births and Deaths Registry.
According to him, the initiative is intended to eliminate ghost names from government payrolls and ensure that only legitimate workers and pensioners receive payments.
He explained that the integration forms part of broader efforts to improve accountability within the public sector and reduce financial leakages associated with payroll fraud.
The Controller and Accountant-General also revealed that the Department was gradually phasing out the use of manual cheques in favour of electronic payment systems.
He said the move was expected to improve efficiency in public financial transactions, minimise payment delays and reduce opportunities for financial irregularities.
Mr. Agyei noted that digitising payment systems would further strengthen monitoring and enhance transparency in the management of public funds.
He also announced plans to implement decentralised and localised recruitment within the Department to create employment opportunities for qualified professionals across the regions.
According to him, the initiative would help strengthen local capacity and improve service delivery at regional and district offices of the Department.
Mr. Agyei said bringing more professionals from local communities into the system could also improve operational efficiency and responsiveness at the sub-national level.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr. James Gunu, commended the Department for the reforms, describing them as important interventions toward improving accountability and efficiency within Ghana’s public financial management framework.
He encouraged staff of the Department to support the implementation of the reforms to ensure the intended outcomes were achieved.
Mr. Gunu also welcomed the proposed localised recruitment initiative, noting that it would create employment opportunities for qualified residents within the Volta Region.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to collaborate with state institutions to promote transparency, good governance and improved public service delivery.
Observers say the reforms come at a time when government institutions are under increasing pressure to strengthen accountability systems and improve the management of public resources through digitalisation and institutional reforms.
