Two Immigration officers ordered to refund GH¢57,006 unearned salaries

Two officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) who received a total of GH¢57,006 in unearned salaries have been ordered to refund the money by November 7, 2026.

The officials who authorised the payments have also been warned that they will be held financially liable if the amount is not recovered.

The matter surfaced when the Ghana Immigration Service appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to answer questions arising from irregularities highlighted in the Auditor-General’s reports.

Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who led the GIS team, named the two officers as Abida Zakaria and Abora Angelina.

He said both have been formally notified to return the money. The ministry, he added, will pursue the authorising officers if the beneficiaries fail to meet the deadline.

On broader payroll controls, Mr Muntaka announced plans to introduce a new human resource management software system to improve staff transfers and salary validation.

He explained that data is already being uploaded onto the platform, which is expected to ensure that transferred officers are quickly linked to their new management units.

Delays in updating personnel records, he noted, sometimes left supervisors at previous stations responsible for validating salaries long after officers had moved.

In some instances, supervisors only discovered that an officer had resigned or absconded after relying on information from colleagues at the new station.

The committee also examined GH¢37,907 in excess salary arrears paid to seven Immigration Service officers.

Mr Muntaka said about GH¢24,900 has already been recovered, leaving roughly GH¢12,900 outstanding.

The ministry is pursuing the balance but appealed for leniency on interest charges, especially in cases involving newly recruited officers who may not have fully understood how their arrears were calculated.

The committee chairperson, however, maintained that beneficiaries have a duty to question payments that appear excessive, particularly when they receive official letters explaining the adjustments.

Mr Muntaka said the processes used to calculate and pay salary arrears need closer examination.

He also suggested that other security agencies, including the Immigration Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Prisons Service, should be considered for self-accounting status similar to the Police Service, arguing that greater financial autonomy would improve oversight and simplify payroll audits.

In another case, the committee reviewed the recovery of GH¢206,085 from an Immigration Service inspector who resigned after spending four years on study leave with pay.

The Auditor-General had recommended recovery of the amount plus interest after the officer failed to meet the related service obligations.

Mr Muntaka said the former officer has been contacted and has expressed willingness to pay. He has been given until the end of October 2026 to settle the debt.

The minister warned that officials who authorised the study leave could be held financially responsible if the money is not recovered.

He added that the ministry has started checking compliance with study-leave conditions, including admission requirements and the submission of academic transcripts.

The committee also questioned payments made to an officer, Modestus Komla Goloh, who failed to return from leave on August 27, 2024.

Despite his absence, GH¢7,737.68 was paid to him for September and October 2024. Mr Muntaka said the amount has been recovered with interest, a fact confirmed by a representative of the Auditor-General who stated that GH¢9,246.26 had been paid.

The minister questioned why the irregularity was not reported earlier, noting that delays make recovery more difficult, especially when former employees have left the country.

The Auditor-General’s representative acknowledged ongoing reporting backlogs but insisted that an irregular payment remains improper regardless of when it is discovered.