Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro. [Photo: FILE]
The Ministry of Education is considering recovering money paid to 13 ghost employees identified during its payroll verification exercise.
The Ministry says it is still calculating the total amount paid to the employees and cannot yet say how much public money is involved.
Minister Aseri Radrodro says the Government Financial Management Act allows the Ministry to recover the money.
“Yes, that is allowable under the Government Financial Management Act. There is a recovery, and the various forms of recovery we will have to explore.”
The issue was first highlighted in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report, with the Ministry continuing its verification and school auditing process.
Deputy Secretary Timoci Bure says some of the discrepancies date back several years, with the Ministry’s system failing to keep up with staff movements.
He says some officers also left the education system without informing the Ministry.
The Ministry says the ongoing verification is aimed at ensuring payroll records are accurate and that public funds are only paid to legitimate employees.
Radrodro says the Ministry is still verifying the total cost involved before deciding on the appropriate recovery action.
