A special payroll verification audit by the Auditor-General has spotlighted the University of Ghana as the leading institution in inflating salary claims among government agencies.
According to the report, the University was responsible for GH¢59.2 million—approximately 68%—of the GH¢86.86 million in payroll overstatements uncovered between 2022 and 2024.
The audit compared compensation claims with actual verified payments, revealing major discrepancies, particularly in 2024—an election year. During the three-year period, the University submitted salary claims totaling GH¢1.09 billion. However, only GH¢1.03 billion was validated by the Auditor-General’s office, exposing GH¢59.24 million in inflated figures.
Year-by-Year Breakdown: The report is part of a broader financial recovery effort, compiling data from Auditor-General recommendations between 2020 and 2023, including disallowances and payroll verifications through December 31, 2024.
In total, GH¢38.9 billion was flagged for recovery, yet just GH¢12.7 billion—around 32.6%—has been successfully retrieved.
While payroll issues represent a smaller fraction of these flagged funds, the high concentration of irregularities at the University of Ghana has raised serious public concerns over financial accountability in higher education institutions.
