The ghost names were discovered following a headcount to clear arrears in allowance payments at the agency, which is in charge of supervising mandatory one-year employment placements for graduates, a statement from the presidency said.

It was unclear what previous payments may have been made under the ghost names. The finance ministry had released 226 million Ghana cedis ($14.6 million) in payments to just over 98 000 legitimate payees, the presidency statement said.

Mahama, who returned to office in January, promised to root out entrenched corruption in the oil and gold-producing West African nation that is emerging from its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Separately on Wednesday, Ghana's anti-graft agency, the Office of the Special Prosecutor , declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta "a wanted fugitive" in connection with his alleged role in five transactions under investigation for corruption and related offences.

Ofori-Atta was not immediately available for comment.

--Reuters--