Monrovia – Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, Atty. Cornelia Kruah, has dismissed recent claims that the ministry’s supplementary payroll contains “ghost workers,” labeling the allegations as unfounded and misleading.
By Augustus Bortue
Speaking on OK FM’s Afternoon Show, Atty. Kruah said that all names on the supplementary payroll are actual employees of the ministry and have been physically accounted for. “Those individuals are not ghosts,” she stated. “They are people who actually work at the Ministry of State.”
Documents obtained and reviewed by this publication, including employee lists and verified identification numbers, support Kruah’s position. An attendance roster confirms that staff named in the General Auditing Commission (GAC) audit were present during a recent verification process.
The GAC, however, in a report signed by Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson, claimed that the Ministry of State failed to present 74 newly hired supplementary staff for physical verification. The report, which spans from January 2018 to December 2024, said this omission violated Regulation T (5)(1) of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act.
In response, Kruah clarified that the GAC initially requested employment files—not physical verification. “Whatever the case, there is an avenue for physical verification to be conducted,” she said, emphasizing the ministry’s full cooperation.
She further explained that the audit was initiated by the ministry itself to promote transparency and accountability. “We requested this audit because we want the Ministry of State to operate under the same standards as all other government ministries,” she said.
A letter dated May 17, 2024, and signed by Minister of State Sylvester Grigsby, revealed that the current administration inherited a supplementary payroll of 728 individuals. Following consultations with the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the ministry decided to discontinue the supplementary payroll.
From January to March 2024, payments to those listed were managed jointly by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of State.
“However, certain irregularities have since been identified regarding that supplementary payroll,” the letter noted. “We have therefore prioritized a GAC audit of the payroll.”
Contrary to reports suggesting over 300 workers were on the payroll, Kruah clarified that the actual number is slightly above 100. She acknowledged the supplementary payroll system has historically been vulnerable to abuse.
“Supplementary payrolls can be abused, which is why we are implementing robust mechanisms to regulate it,” Kruah said. “The issues did not start last year or even six years ago—it has been a longstanding problem. Under the previous administration, the number surged to over 700.”
To address this, Kruah confirmed that the CSA has now taken over all vetting responsibilities for payroll, ensuring that the Ministry of State is no longer directly involved in the hiring process.
She also rejected accusations that the payroll was politically manipulated. “Discontinuing the payroll was purely an administrative decision, not politically motivated,” she emphasized.
Kruah noted that the ministry previously operated without formal policies due to its direct connection to the presidency. “Before my tenure, there were no formal policies because it is the Office of the President. However, with President Joseph Boakai’s support, we have now implemented new policies,” she said.
As part of ongoing reforms, she announced that the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) now has a permanent representative at the Ministry of State. “This is a milestone in our accountability efforts,” she said.
Addressing claims that funds were paid to ghost workers, Kruah stated that the Ministry of State has not accessed any such funds. “The cheque is held by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The Ministry of State has not spent any of this money,” she clarified.
The GAC audit has prompted calls for stronger oversight across all ministries and agencies, especially concerning supplementary payrolls, which often fall outside the traditional civil service structure.
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