The Cabinet has resolved to prosecute all government officials who continue to maintain ghost workers on the government payroll.

This was revealed on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, by Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.

He added that the Cabinet meeting that sat on October 28th, 2024, at State House, Entebbe, approved a committee of ministers to assist the Ministry of Public Service in identifying these officials who will face prosecution if found guilty.

This committee will include the Minister of Science and Technology, Hon. Monica Musenero Masanza; the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Among; and the Minister of State for Industry, Hon. David Bahati.

“The accounting officers and government officials found to have allowed these discrepancies will face prosecution,” Minister Baryomunsi stated.

This decision follows a report presented to the Cabinet by the Ministry of Public Service based on a special audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor General. The results showed that the government is losing more than Shs53 billion annually to ghost workers, people confirmed dead, retired, or absconded.

Assistant Auditor General Edward Akol pointed out that 10,192 workers were flagged for getting off the payroll after they were confirmed as non-existent during the audit conducted across 367 organizations.

Minister Baryomunsi said that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, CID, was directed to take immediate action upon the release of the findings.