A nationwide audit of Ghana’s arrears portfolio has saved the state about GH¢13 billion, after uncovering irregular and unverified claims inherited from the previous administration, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has said.
He said the extensive audit, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance and conducted by the Audit Service with the support of private accounting firms, identified questionable payments in the arrears stock transferred from the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
“Government is dealing with the arrears. The audited report presented to Cabinet shows that about GH¢13 billion worth of claims have been disallowed and that represents a major saving for the country,” Mr Ampem said.
He explained that the exercise was part of a broader fiscal clean-up drive aimed at strengthening public financial management and ensuring that only legitimate debts owed to contractors, workers, and other service providers are settled.
According to the Deputy Minister, the government has made provision in the 2025 Budget to clear GH¢13.7 billion of verified arrears out of a total GH¢67 billion inherited debt, with the rest to be paid gradually over the next four years.
“We are processing payments for those validated by the auditors, and we are strictly paying only verified claims,” he emphasised.
To enhance transparency, Mr Ampem said the Ministry would publish a full list of rejected, verified, and pending claims, explaining that some cases remained under review due to incomplete documentation or the unavailability of contractors.
“The agreement we have with the auditors is that we will publish all those rejected and those pending verification,” he noted.
Mr Ampem said the audit results had reaffirmed the government’s resolve to tighten fiscal discipline, eliminate waste, and restore public trust in how state debts are managed.
“Only verified debts will be paid. This audit marks a critical step toward ensuring accountability and protecting public resources,” he said, adding that the final report would be released after Cabinet’s review.
