An investigation by Verity News has obtained a trove of leaked financial documents, revealing a growing salary ‘controversy’ at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) as more than two dozen underpaid staff accuse the institution’s leadership of withholding a combined US$200,000 appropriated to resolve longstanding wage disparities.
The disgruntled employees, comprising Research Assistants, MSc holders, and PhD-level research officers-say they have worked for over two years without the salary upgrades promised by management, despite official communications confirming the release and approval of funds intended to fix the disparities.
Funds Approved, But No Salary Upgrade
According to documents seen by this newspaper, CARI management confirmed in March 2025 that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning approved a US$100,000 salary top-up request routed through the Ministry of Agriculture for FY2025.
An additional US$100,000 was transferred directly from the Ministry of Agriculture to CARI to further support salary alignment efforts.
The funds were intended to adjust salaries for:
Staffs returning from study leave (MSc and PhD)
Research Assistants being paid US$200-far below peers earning US$685
Other underpaid technical and research personnel
In a May 12, 2025 letter to the Civil Service Agency (CSA), CARI Director General Dr. Arthur B. Karnuah confirmed that the funds had been approved and that monthly top-ups were calculated using a prorated distribution of US$8,333.33 per month.
He forwarded staff lists and adjustment matrices, requesting CSA’s cooperation to implement the changes.
However, affected employees say the money has not reached them, and their salaries remain unchanged.
Staff Say Management Meetings Turned “Unfriendly”
Several employees told this paper that attempts to obtain explanations from management were met with hostility.
“We returned with MSc and PhD degrees, many of us self-sponsored, yet we are still receiving the same US$200 salary we earned as undergraduates. This is demeaning and unsustainable,” the staff wrote in an August 5, 2025 petition to CARI’s Director of Finance, Honourable Oscar Cooper.
The petitioners say they engaged DG Karnuah and Administrator Mrs. Abibatu Kromah, but the “atmosphere was unfriendly,” leaving them without clarity on the status of the money or the salary upgrade process.
Board Chair Notified, But No Redress Yet
On June 12, 2025, the affected workers wrote to Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah, who also chairs CARI’s Board. Their letter highlighted that:
CARI employs 58 Research Assistants
22 of them receive US$200, while others receive US$685 for the same role
Despite the US$100,000 transfer and CSA referral, the funds “have yet to be distributed in accordance with the intended purpose”
They also alleged favoritism, claiming the DG continued hiring under a “direct replacement” policy, offering new hires higher salaries while longstanding employees remained underpaid.
Detailed Salary Disparities Exposed
Internal salary matrices obtained by this newspaper show:
BSc Research Assistants
Current salary: US$200
Adjusted salary: US$391
Monthly variance: US$191
Annual variance per person: US$2,292
MSc Research Officers
Current salary: approx. US$686.75
Adjusted salary: US$1,143.75
Monthly variance: US$457
Annual variance per person: US$5,484
PhD Senior Research Officer
Current salary: US$1,143.75
Adjusted salary: US$2,138.75
Monthly variance: US$995
Annual variance: US$11,940
The combined total annual top-up requirement for all affected staff, according to CARI’s own narrative, stands at US$132,543-an amount nearly identical to the combined US$200,000 allocated for the purpose when calculated with retroactive payments.
Employees Call It “Inhuman Treatment”
In their latest petition, staff described their situation as “inhuman,” citing the high cost of living and their inability to sustain their families on US$200 per month despite possessing degrees up to the doctoral level.
“It is disheartening that funds approved for our welfare remain unaccounted for, while we continue to serve this institution with dedication,” the letter stated.
CSA Receives New Request from CARI
In a separate communication dated September 30, 2025, DG Karnuah again wrote to CSA, requesting top-ups for the same underpaid staff- raising questions about what happened to the earlier approved funds.
The letter acknowledges that the affected staffs “are underpaid for the position they occupied” and requests intervention to implement the adjustments.
Where Is the Money?
That remains the burning question.
Despite multiple approvals, official memos, lists, matrices, and narratives confirming the availability of funds, staffs say no disbursement has occurred.
Neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor the CSA has publicly addressed the delay, and CARI’s management has not responded to the employees’ latest concerns.
Employees Renew Call for Transparency
The aggrieved staffs have again petitioned the institution’s finance director, urging him to take immediate action and provide clarity on:
The whereabouts and status of the US$200,000 salary top-up funds
Why salary disparities persist despite official allocations
Why some employees hired later receive higher compensation for identical duties
Their appeal closes with a plea for fairness and dignity.
