The Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, says corruption in Ghana’s public sector continues largely due to the failure to fully apply technology and enforce transparency systems.
Speaking on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday, April 16, Madam Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba argued that many of the long-standing issues in the public sector could be addressed with proper digital systems and trained personnel.
“Today, if there are ghost names, if we are using technology very well… there will be no salary issues. It’s just technology,” she said.
She added that beyond installing systems, “people that are well trained to handle those technology equipments” are critical to eliminating loopholes.
Her comments come amid persistent concerns about payroll fraud, overpayments, and weak financial controls across state institutions.
Ghana is part of the Open Government Partnership, which promotes transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and the use of technology.
However, the Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms questioned why corruption remains widespread despite these commitments.
She pointed to recent government efforts to tighten financial oversight, including the introduction of a value-for-money system.
“No certificate will pass, no payment will pass without passing through the value for money office,” she noted, describing it as one of the measures to curb misuse of public funds.
On enforcement, the minister said investigations are ongoing and some suspects have already been processed through the system.
“We have identified them… they are before court. So now everything is at the doorstep of the justice system,” she said.
But she acknowledged public frustration over the pace of prosecutions.
“The wheel of justice… runs slowly. But what happened will definitely come to light,” she added.
According to her, the persistence of corruption is not due to a lack of knowledge about the problem but gaps in implementation. She warned public servants against engaging in fraudulent practices, particularly payroll manipulation.
“If you put yourself at that point, you are only telling yourself that you want to go to jail,” she cautioned.
Madam Lydia Akanvariba also stressed that improving service delivery and reducing human interference through digitisation could help limit opportunities for bribery and delays in accessing public services.
