The phenomenon of “ghost names” on Ghana’s public payroll remains one of the most persistent and costly leakages in the country’s public financial management system. Despite decades of reforms, ranging from biometric payroll validations to periodic headcounts and audits, the state continues to lose substantial public funds to salaries paid to deceased, fictitious, or otherwise ineligible persons.
These losses do more than drain the public purse. They weaken fiscal discipline, distort wage bill projections, and steadily erode public confidence in governance. At its core, the ghost-name problem is not simply one of fraud; it is a systemic failure of data integration, life-event verification, and automated enforcement.
This article argues that Ghana can finally eliminate ghost names through deep data centralisation, anchored in existing laws, and reinforced by a compulsory, automated Ghana Card–based death certification system directly linked to all Government of Ghana (GoG) payroll databases.
Why Ghost Names Persist Despite Reforms
Ghana has made commendable progress in payroll management, particularly with the rollout of the Ghana Card as a unique national identifier. Yet ghost names continue to resurface for four main reasons:
1. Delayed or Non-Registration of Deaths
In many communities, especially rural areas, deaths are either registered late or not registered at all. As a result, deceased persons remain “alive” in government systems, continuing to draw salaries long after burial.
2. Fragmented Databases
Critical institutions such as the Births and Deaths Registry, National Identification Authority (NIA), Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD), SSNIT, and sector payroll systems often operate in silos. Information sharing is largely manual, slow, and unreliable.
3. Human Discretion and Manipulation
Where verification depends on periodic audits or human reporting, opportunities for collusion, concealment, and deliberate delay emerge.
4. No Single Authoritative Death Trigger
There is currently no automated mechanism that instantly deactivates payroll eligibility upon confirmation of death.
These weaknesses demonstrate a hard truth: biometric registration alone is insufficient without continuous life-status verification.
Legal and Policy Foundations Already Exist
Contrary to popular belief, Ghana does not need new laws to solve this problem. The legal and policy framework for payroll data centralization already exists:
- 1992 Constitution – mandates accountability, transparency, and prudent use of public resources.
- Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) – requires effective control and protection of public funds.
- National Identification Authority Act, 2006 (Act 707) – establishes the Ghana Card as the primary national identifier.
- Births and Deaths Registry Act, 1965 (Act 301) – mandates compulsory registration of all births and deaths.
- Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) – regulates lawful data processing and sharing.
- CAGD/IPPD mandate – governs public payroll administration.
Together, these instruments provide ample authority to centralise identity, life-event, and payroll data through regulation, integration, and enforcement, without fresh legislation.
The Solution: A Compulsory Automated Death Certification System
To permanently eliminate ghost names, Ghana must institutionalise a Ghana Card–anchored automated death certification system.
Core Features
1. Ghana Card–Based Death Certification
Every death must be digitally certified using the deceased person’s Ghana Card number.
- Health facilities, accredited mortuaries, and traditional authorities initiate certification.
- District registrars validate deaths occurring outside health facilities.
2. Unique Digital Death Grant Number
Once certified, the system generates a single official digital death reference number used for all processes.
3. Full Integration with Births and Deaths Registry
Certification feeds directly into a national digitized Births and Deaths Database—eliminating manual duplication.
- CAGD / IPPD
- SSNIT
- Public Service Commission
- National Pensions Regulatory Authority
- Relevant MDAs and MMDAs
4. Linkage to a Central “Ghost Check” Database
Death data is instantly shared with:
5. Automatic Payroll Deactivation
Upon confirmation of death, payroll eligibility linked to that Ghana Card number is immediately suspended—without human discretion or delay.
Benefits Beyond Payroll Cleanup
Benefits to Families
- Simplified pension and gratuity processing
- Easier access to insurance claims
- Faster estate administration
- Reduced exploitation by intermediaries
Benefits to the State
- Immediate removal of deceased persons from payroll
- Massive reduction in wage-bill leakages
- Real-time workforce and pension data
- Improved fiscal planning and budget credibility
Why This System Will Work
- Builds on Existing Infrastructure: Ghana Card, IPPD, and digital finance platforms already exist.
- Minimizes Human Interference: Automation removes corruption-prone discretion.
- Strengthens Accountability: Every certification is traceable and auditable.
- Respects Data Protection: Role-based access, encryption, and lawful data use under Act 843.
Institutional Roles for Success
- NIA: Maintains identity integrity.
- Births and Deaths Registry: Authoritative life-event registrar.
- CAGD: Enforces automated payroll controls.
- Ministry of Finance: Provides policy oversight.
- Local Governments: Ensure community-level compliance.
Conclusion
Eradicating ghost names from Ghana’s payroll is not merely a technical exercise, it is a governance imperative. Through data centralisation, compulsory Ghana Card–based death certification, and automated payroll controls, Ghana can finally seal one of the most persistent leaks in its public finance system.
This reform aligns squarely with Ghana’s constitutional values, public financial management laws, and digital transformation agenda. By ensuring that death is recorded promptly, accurately, and automatically, the living is protected, public resources are preserved, and trust in state institutions is restored.
True payroll integrity begins where data integrity is non-negotiable.
paqmediagh/Peter Quao Adattor
