Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - Mr Christian Tetteh Sottie, Controller and Accountant-General, on Thursday said between July 2006 and August 2006; 500 more ghost names were detected on government pay rolls.

This followed the employment of 955 students from the country's tertiary institutions for two months by the Controller and Accountant General Department to check on ghost names on government pay rolls. Addressing the closing ceremony for students Vacation Employment Programme in Accra, Mr Sottie described the exercise the students undertook as fruitful saying they were able to bring out reports on people, who vacated their post, proceeded on leave without pay and those dead but still had their names on the pay roll.

He said the 500 ghost names, which were found nationwide, have since been deleted from payrolls adding "even there were some more which kept trickling in from the regions."

Mr Sottie indicated that the Controllers and Accountant General Department (CAGD) was investigating further into the matter, declaring that action would be taken against heads of departments who would fall foul.

He announced that the CAGD was going to employ about 1,000 more students to continue with the exercise of deleting ghost names. He noted that though the programme was fruitful to the Government it had also enhanced the capacity of the students and ensured discipline in their activities.

Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, said the Government desired to offer the youth better job opportunities to play their rightful roles in the society. He urged the student to commit themselves to their studies, shun acts that bordered on immorality, drug abuse and indiscipline.

He urged them to take advantage of the opportunities being offered under the National Youth Employment Programme to acquire skills so that they could establish their own businesses or get jobs being created under the programme.

Mrs Elizabeth Osei, Head of Pay Roll Process Division, CAGD, said 65 Ministries, Departments and Agencies had so far confirmed to the Department the list of their staff on pay rolls.

Mr Adu Owusu Sarkordie, a student of the University of Ghana, Legon called for more programmes for the youth.

He identified non-cooperation by some Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies and lack of space in offices as some of the challenges facing the programme.