Auditor-General admits error in report claiming Oliver Kpodo was paid GH₵427 million unearned salary

The Audit Service has admitted an error in the nationwide payroll audit on the processes by which government employees were paid from January 2023 to June 2025.

It clarified that a GH₵427,995,661.40 figure attributed to Frank Oliver Kpodo a former Director of Procurement at the Ministry of Defence, was an error.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 21, the Audit Service noted that the attribution was due to a transpositional mistake.

The Service explained that the amount was not paid to Mr. Kpodo but rather relates to unaccounted staff under the Ministry of Education.

The clarification follows widespread media reports which suggested that Mr. Kpodo, had received the said amount as salary.

“The Office of the Auditor-General has noted with grave concern, a media publication citing Mr Frank Oliver Kpodo (a public servant) as having received an unearned salary of GHC427,995,661.40,” the statement said.

“We wish to state that, the amount attributed to Mr Kpodo above was due to a transpositional error. The GHC427,995,661.40 relates to the Ministry of Education in respect of 3,476 unaccounted staff during the payroll audit,” it clarified.

The Audit Service also issued an unreserved apology to Mr. Kpodo, as well as to the government and the general public, for the distress and confusion caused by the error.

It added that steps have been taken to correct the records and ensure accuracy in the reporting of the audit findings.