The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening fiscal accountability, embracing digital innovation, and enhancing professional capacity across Ghana’s public financial management landscape.
This was the central message from the 2025 CAGD Annual Conference, held from April 24 to 25 at Ho in the Volta Region.
Under the theme “Enhancing Public Financial Management Excellence,” the conference brought together senior government officials, financial experts and public sector accountants from across the country to reflect, strategize, and strengthen the foundations of Ghana’s fiscal governance.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Controller and Accountant-General, Mr. Kwasi Agyei, emphasized the critical role the Department plays in safeguarding the nation’s financial integrity.
He reiterated the Department’s commitment to payroll integrity, revealing that over 4,000 irregular employees had recently been suspended from the public payroll following a rigorous validation exercise.
Mr. Kwasi Agyei also announced a raft of measures to be adopted aimed at enhancing payroll data security and integrity;
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The payroll system will use strong data encryption, access controls, and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive employee information from unauthorised access and data breaches. This approach will maintain the confidentiality and integrity of payroll data, meeting high data security standards.
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Implement regular biometric identification and validation, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, to ensure accurate employee verification and prevent payroll fraud. This measure will reduce the risk of ghost employees or unauthorised payroll changes, enhancing overall payroll governance and accountability.
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Conduct regular data audits, reconciliations, and penetration testing to identify any vulnerabilities or discrepancies in the payroll system. This proactive strategy will help ensure the system’s security and improve the protection of payroll data.
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Engage the Internal Audit Agency to include Internal Auditors in the payroll validation process. This will improve the integrity of the payroll system.
“Our mandate goes beyond processing transactions,” Mr. Agyei said. “We are stewards of public trust, and we must work every day to uphold the highest standards of transparency, professionalism, and innovation in how we manage public resources.”
Mr. Agyei also highlighted the Department’s efforts in implementing the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), which have significantly expanded the scope and quality of Ghana’s financial reporting to cover complex areas such as public-private partnerships, gold royalties, bonded warehousing, and post-employment obligations.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson (MP), Deputy Minister Hon. Thomas Ampem Nyarko (MP) praised the CAGD’s efforts in aligning with the government’s broader fiscal consolidation agenda outlined in the 2025 Budget Statement. He stressed the importance of digitization, efficient expenditure management, and professional development as key drivers of economic resilience under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
“Our vision is clear: to build a fiscally disciplined, digitally inclusive, and people-centred economy. The CAGD’s role in delivering on this vision cannot be overstated,” Hon. Nyarko Ampem said.
The Chairman for the Opening Ceremony, Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, urged financial managers to see public financial management not merely as an administrative duty but as a critical pillar of democracy and national development. He called for continuous innovation, capacity building, and a stronger focus on citizen engagement.
The Volta Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, in a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, welcomed participants to the region, encouraging them to experience the rich culture and hospitality of Ho while reaffirming the region’s commitment to good governance and fiscal prudence.
On his part, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darko, Head of the Civil Service underscored the need to uphold ethics as a means to promoting excellence in financial management. He added that, all public sector accountants must uphold transparency and ensure that every cedi spent is accounted for.
Managing Director of the National Investment Bank (NIB), Dr. Doli-Wura Zakaria reiterated that to achieve excellence in public financial management, all participants must apply the relevant PFM legal frameworks in discharging their duties. He said that, public accountants must be innovative and also called for greater partnership between the NIB and the CAGD.
Key outcomes from the conference included strong resolutions to:
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Strengthen public sector accountability mechanisms.
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Expand the use of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) across all 261 MMDAs.
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Invest in continuous professional development, with over 3,000 finance personnel set to be trained by 2026.
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Improve payroll system security through biometric validation and real-time data audits.
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Deepen IPSAS adoption to enhance transparency and international comparability of Ghana’s financial statements.
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Prepare for Ghana’s hosting of the 3rd Annual Conference of the African Association of Accountants-General in Accra in November 2025.
