The Auditor General’s Office has revealed that 9800 ghost workers were paid over Seven hundred million Kwacha between 2017 and 2021.
Auditor General, Dick Sichembe said these are from 19 different government ministries.
Dr Sichembe has also disclosed that 944 million kwacha was being irregularly paid to 22 thousand civil servants as salaries, but the officers were not stationed at their pay points.
Speaking at a media briefing, Dr Sichembe said three ministries had 87 people who diverted salaries amounting to 10 million kwacha into their personal accounts or accounts for people who are not civil servants.
Dr Sichembe added that 18 government institutions had recruited over 13 thousand people without treasury authority while the Ministry of Education illegally put 299 teachers on the payroll without approval by the Teaching Service Commission.
He said the Ministry of Education also upgraded the salary scale of 539 teachers without authority from the Teaching Service Commission costing the government 2.5 million kwacha.
And Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Chairperson, WARREN MWAMBAZI has urged law enforcement agencies to follow up cases raised by the Auditor General’s office.
