Eliminating ghost workers

Identifying phantom civil servants

Description

Eliminating ghost workers involves systematically identifying and removing fictitious or non-existent employees from payroll systems to prevent salary fraud and reduce financial waste. This strategy typically includes conducting regular audits, implementing biometric verification, and cross-checking personnel records. Its practical intent is to ensure that only legitimate employees receive compensation, thereby improving transparency, accountability, and the efficient allocation of resources within organizations and public administrations.

Context

A "ghost" worker is somebody who receives government wages but either does not exist or is not employed in the position for which the payment is made.

Implementation

Identifying and eliminating "ghost" workers often requires a civil service census that matches payroll data with budgeted and actual employment. Efforts to eliminate "ghosts" in the Central African Republic and Guinea identified "ghost" workers at approximately 7% of civil service employment. Once "ghosts" are eliminated, payroll mechanisms need to be established so as to prevent them from materializing again.