Ghost workers remain a serious obstacle to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in many Global South countries, including Tanzania. These individuals, who are listed on the government payroll but do not actually work, continue to undermine the quality of public service delivery and cause far-reaching socio-economic consequences.
The Tanzanian government has launched a series of initiatives to combat this issue, including public service reforms, physical verification of civil servants, and the strengthening of human resource information systems. Despite these efforts, the problem persists, continuing to disrupt service efficiency and impede broader development progress.
A recent study highlights that the socio-economic impacts of ghost workers remain underexplored. This research addresses that gap by examining how ghost workers affect public sector performance and national development in Tanzania. The analysis is guided by the Fraud Triangle Theory and Fraud Management Theory, providing a conceptual lens through which the issue is examined.
Secondary data were gathered from credible government records and peer-reviewed academic journals. Using content analysis, the study identified recurring themes and trends. Key findings include financial losses, rising unemployment, stalled career promotions, decreased staff morale, soaring anti-fraud costs, and poor service delivery.
The study concludes that the presence of ghost workers weakens workforce effectiveness, undermines governance, and obstructs the development of the public sector. The researchers call for strong political will to institutionalise ethical recruitment practices and implement robust fraud control mechanisms, with the goal of significantly reducing payroll fraud and its socio-economic impact by 2030.
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