YEA CEO Malik Basintale Vows to Purge Ghost Names From Payroll, Warns Fake Beneficiaries

The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has issued a blunt warning to individuals fraudulently placed on the agency’s beneficiary payroll, vowing that any ghost name uncovered in the system will be “sent back to the cemetery.” The remark, reported by StarrFM, signals a aggressive crackdown on payroll fraud at the agency and reflects growing scrutiny of how public funds are disbursed to youth employment beneficiaries.

Basintale’s colourful phrasing suggests his administration intends to treat ghost beneficiaries as a serious criminal and financial problem rather than a bureaucratic annoyance. Ghost names—fictitious or deceased individuals kept on payrolls to divert funds—are a recurring challenge in Ghanaian public institutions, and the YEA, which manages large numbers of beneficiaries across the country, is particularly exposed to such schemes. The CEO’s comments indicate he believes the practice has taken root and must be confronted directly.

The warning also carries an implicit message for officials who may have facilitated the fraud: cleaning up the system will likely involve not just removing fake names but potentially pursuing those responsible. Basintale did not provide details on the scale of the problem or the timeline for the audit, but his language suggests a comprehensive review of the beneficiary database is underway or planned.

The YEA’s credibility and effectiveness depend heavily on accurate beneficiary data, and payroll fraud undermines both the agency’s mission and public confidence in government employment programmes. If ghost names are as widespread as the CEO’s warning implies, the cleanup could produce significant savings and reshape how the agency verifies and monitors beneficiaries going forward. It may also set a precedent for other state institutions facing similar challenges.

Basintale has not yet outlined the specific measures the agency will use to identify and remove ghost beneficiaries, nor has he indicated whether law enforcement or the Auditor-General will be involved. For now, his statement stands as a public commitment to reform.