Government has recorded a significant 62.9 percent reduction in financial irregularities across the public sector, beating its own target of 50 percent.
The feat represents a reduction of approximately GH¢13.03 billion, with irregularities declining from GH¢20.72 billion in 2024 to GH¢7.69 billion in 2025.
It is a performance the government describes as a significant achievement in its quest to protect public funds.
Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, announced this at the 2025 Auditor-General’s Reports Engagement held in Accra on Monday, August 31, 2026.
The engagement was held under the theme “Recovering Every Cedi” and brought together Chief Directors, Heads of Institutions and representatives of the Auditor-General to deliberate on the findings of the 2025 Auditor-General’s Reports covering Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the District Assemblies Common Fund, Public Boards and State-Owned Enterprises, and Public Universities and Colleges of Education.
According to Mr Nyarko, the overall figures conceal varying performances across the different sectors, with some recording impressive reductions while others deteriorated badly.
He disclosed that irregularities relating to the District Assemblies Common Fund declined by 39.6 per cent, while Public Universities and Colleges of Education recorded a 51.5 percent reduction. Public Boards, Corporations and other Statutory Institutions recorded the most substantial decline of approximately 87.8 percent.
Within the education sector, the breakdown shows that recoverable irregularities in Public Universities declined by 35.2 percent, while those in Colleges of Education declined by an impressive 95.8 per cent.
The story was, however, different for Ministries, Departments and Agencies which recorded an increase in irregularities of 156.3 per cent, while Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies recorded an increase of 125.6 per cent.
“These increases are unacceptable and demand immediate corrective action,” the Deputy Minister warned.
Mr. Nyarko stressed that identifying irregularities is not the end of the process, insisting that recovery and accountability must follow. He said for too long, audit findings have sometimes been treated as matters to be noted, discussed and eventually forgotten.
“That approach must change,” he stated.
He disclosed that the detailed presentation at the engagement will identify affected institutions, companies, individuals and responsible officers, as well as the amounts involved.
He made it clear that the responsibility for action does not rest with the Ministry of Finance alone. “The respective Ministries, Departments, Agencies and other public institutions know the relevant transactions and parties involved. They must therefore take direct responsibility for initiating and pursuing recovery,” he said.
This, he explained, includes issuing demand notices where appropriate, following up on outstanding debts, engaging responsible persons and institutions, and ensuring that recoverable amounts are paid back to the State within the required timelines.
The Deputy Minister announced that recovery efforts would be monitored and progress reported, warning that where responsible institutions or officers fail to act on recoverable amounts, the appropriate accountability measures will be applied in accordance with the applicable public financial management laws
.”Public money must be protected. Money due to the State must be recovered. Those responsible for the loss or misuse of public resources must be held accountable,” he emphasised.
He noted that government’s ultimate objective is to build a public financial management system in which financial irregularities are the exception rather than the norm, stressing the need to strengthen preventive controls so that irregularities are identified and addressed before they become financial losses.
He called on all MDAs, MMDAs, State-Owned Enterprises and other public institutions to take the findings of the Auditor-General seriously and act on them.
“Let this engagement mark a decisive shift from audit findings to action, from action to recovery, and from recovery to stronger systems that prevent recurrence. The Ghanaian taxpayer expects nothing less,” he said.
