Monrovia – Getting rid of ghost names on government’s payroll appears to be a mounting challenge, despite the introduction of the biometric ID for civil servants.
Report by Al-Varney Rogers [email protected]
Given the prevalence of patrol fraud as noted by the GAC, it is prudent for the GAC to conduct a comprehensive payroll audit of the government of Liberia payroll to ensure that the payroll is clean and there is no ghost employee before the inauguration of the next government in 2017.
The General Auditing Commission (GAC) issued three audit reports to the National Legislature recently which suggest that payroll fraud is a major problem in the Liberian Government.
In all, the GAC audit of the three entities established that the government of Liberia lost LD$15,615, 640 to payroll fraud.
The cases uncovered by the GAC have been referred to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation and prosecution where possible.
This is not the first report of irregularities in the government payment system.
A recent Internal Audit Agency report of the salaries of political appointees reported by FPA also indicated how US$167,009.87 and LD$2,980,331.70 from January 2015 – February 2016 were paid in salaries to presidential appointees who were either dismissed or resigned.
The Commission recommended a comprehensive payroll audit of the government before the end of President Sirleaf tenure.
Given the prevalence of patrol fraud as noted by the GAC, it is prudent for the GAC to conduct a comprehensive payroll audit of the government of Liberia payroll to ensure that the payroll is clean and there is no ghost employee before the inauguration of the next government in 2017.
GAC averred that savings derived from the payroll audit could be used to increase the salaries of civil servants who earn substantially lower wages in Liberia.
“Also, if the payroll is not cleaned, the next Government will continue to pay millions of dollars to non-existent employees, thereby causing the Government unjustified financial burden,” GAC added.
The three audit reports released by the GAC recently are the Consolidated Fund audit report for the fiscal year July 1, 2014 June 30, 2015, the Montserrado County Administration Funds audit for fiscal year July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015 and the Grand Cape Mount County Administration Funds audit for fiscal year July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.
In the Consolidated Fund audit report released in February 2017, the GAC noted that the, Director, Human Resource Division, Office of the Vice President, was maintained on the payroll for five months after her separation from the Office of the Vice President on December 30, 2014 thereby causing the Government of Liberia LD$65,820.00.
The Deputy Director, Human Resource Division, Office of the Vice President, deceased on July 23, 2014, was maintained on the payroll to June 30, 2015 accumulating a loss of $73,836 for seven months to the Government.
Similarly, four resigned or dismissed employees from the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy were maintained on the payroll from one to three months after their separation from the Ministry causing the Government of Liberia LD$75,286.00.
Authorities at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning indicated in their response to the GAC that they submitted the observation to the Personnel Director to the Office of the Vice President and the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy.
There was no indication in the report that the Vice President Office or the Ministry of Lands Mines and Energy responded to the GAC.
On the audit of the Montserrado County Administration Funds, the GAC observed that twenty staff members who did not report to work but were still maintained on the county payroll pocketed LD$2,520,000.
These employees were employed between 1997 and 2010. The audit also identified six employees who have died and have been on the payroll from nine to eighteen months after death. Government paid LD$864,400.00 to these dead employees.
The audit of the Grand Cape Mount County Administration funds revealed that 12 employees who there was no evidence that they signed the daily attendance log or reported to work received LD$1,452,286.00.
The audit report also indicated that five employees have been maintained on the payroll 15 months after death thereby causing the Government of Liberia LD$8.030.250.000.
Additionally, the report revealed that 24 staff members have long past the retirement age are still maintained on the county payroll.
The total amount of salaries paid to these staff members is LD$2,531,222.00.
In response to the GAC findings, the Grand Cape Mount County Administration asserted that “a letter was written to the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the employees who have died those that needed to be pensioned and those who have deserted their posts.
“The county has a daily attendance book that is used by staff of the county and this book is monitored on a monthly basis by the County Inspector and he reports to the Superintendent on happenings.
“Few of those names mentioned in the report are currently undergoing replacement and other names have been sent to the Civil Servant Agency (CSA) for necessary actions”
The GAC noted in its position to the management response that on 10 June 2015, the Assistant Superintendent for Development/Acting Superintendent of Grand Cape Mount County wrote the Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs requesting the removal or replacement of personnel identified in the audit.
The Deputy Minister wrote the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment to hold some of the employees identified in the audit salaries for “administrative reason” Subsequently, on 23 September 2016, about 15 months after the audit period, the Deputy Minister wrote the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to pension some of the employees identified in the audit.
The GAC therefore says that “the Deputy Minister’s letter to the Civil Service Agency was not timely”.
Additionally, there was no evidence that the CSA has taken any action as of the date of the audit report, the GAC said.