By The Forum
The Malawi Government has announced a nationwide personnel audit to run from 9 December to 6 February 2026 as part of efforts to eliminate ghost workers and curb the country’s rapidly growing wage bill.
Minister of Information Shadric Namalomba told journalists in Lilongwe on Friday that the forensic audit is necessary to contain the wage bill’s explosive growth, which he said is placing severe pressure on public finances.
According to Namalomba, the wage bill has jumped from K479.6 billion in the 2021–2022 financial year to K1.6 trillion in 2025–2026, representing a 234 percent increase in just four fiscal cycles. It now consumes 25 percent of recurrent expenditure and 38 percent of domestic tax revenue.
“This trajectory is untenable. For every K100 paid in tax by our citizens, K38 goes to salaries,” he warned, noting that the imbalance is starving the government of funds needed for infrastructure, health, education and other essential services.
The audit aims to address systemic weaknesses including ghost workers, outdated records, payroll fraud, duplication, and procedural gaps.
Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi said the exercise will be conducted in phases, beginning with the Ministries of Education, Health, Agriculture, Local Government, security agencies and district councils.
“This is the foundational step toward eliminating ghost workers, payroll irregularities and systemic inefficiencies,” Saidi said.
All civil servants will be required to present their National ID, academic certificates, appointment letters, professional licences, and relevant PSR documentation, along with records of promotions, demotions, study leave, sick leave, secondments and approved trainings.
“Your personal appearance is compulsory. Failure to appear will result in the presumption that you are not a bona fide public servant,” Saidi warned.
He directed all controlling officers to grant audit teams full support, workspace and unrestricted access to records to ensure a credible process, adding that subsequent phases will cover all remaining public institutions.
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