Ghana Immigration Service payroll irregularities lead to fund recovery orders

Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has addressed several payroll irregularities within the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) during a Public Accounts Committee hearing.

In one instance, the Minister ordered the GIS to recover GH¢46,000 paid to two former officers who continued to receive salaries after leaving their posts in 2024 and 2025. To prevent the individuals from fleeing the country before the funds are retrieved, the Minister stated that suspects are being placed on a travel stop list in coordination with the Office of the Comptroller.

In a separate matter, the Minister confirmed that GH¢124,552 in excess salary arrears paid to 23 GIS officers at the Elubo post has been fully recovered and deposited into the Auditor-General’s account. The overpayment occurred because arrears were calculated from March 2023, despite promotions only taking effect in July 2023. While the principal amount has been returned, a dispute remains regarding whether the officers should pay interest at the Bank of Ghana rate. The Minister argued that requiring interest from the officers might be unfair, suggesting that responsibility for the error should instead lie with the officials who authorized the payments.