Ghana’s Auditor-General has published an interim list of rejected and pending government arrears, giving contractors and suppliers until November 7, 2025, to provide supporting documentation or risk permanent removal from payment records.
The audit, conducted between May and October 2025 in collaboration with global accounting firms PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Ernst & Young (EY), involved extensive engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), contractors, and suppliers to verify the authenticity of the claims. Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu announced the measure as part of a comprehensive verification process aimed at preventing fraudulent payments.
The newly published list includes arrears and outstanding commitments that have either been rejected or remain pending further justification before payment can be approved. The full list has now been published on the websites of both the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Audit Service, allowing affected parties to review their status.
Affected parties may contest or justify their claims by submitting supporting documents through their respective MDAs to the Ghana Audit Service for final validation. However, time is running out. The verification window remains open until November 7, 2025, after which any arrears or commitments that remain rejected or unverified will be permanently expunged from the government’s arrears and commitment records.
The audit forms part of the government’s broader effort to address inherited contractor arrears. Deputy Finance Minister revealed that the audit validated GH¢45.4 billion worth of arrears, including payments owed to contractors, and that payments had already commenced. The exercise has already yielded significant savings for the state.
The audit reviewed all arrears claims inherited by the current administration and rejected GH¢8.1 billion due to unsupported documentation, duplication, overstatements, already paid items, and contracts not executed. The Deputy Finance Minister emphasized the importance of the verification process, noting that rushing payments could have resulted in billions being paid for work not completed.
The initiative represents a critical step in Ghana’s efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline and ensure accountability in public spending. Contractors who believe their claims are legitimate are urged to act swiftly to compile and submit the necessary documentation through their respective MDAs before the November 7 deadline expires.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
