February 12, 2025
By Isaac Nsiah Foster
President John Dramani Mahama has initiated a comprehensive probe into the National Service Authority’s (NSA) operations under the previous administration, following the startling discovery of 81,885 suspected ghost names on its payroll.
This anomaly was unearthed after a meticulous headcount of active National Service personnel, spearheaded by the Minister for Finance, aimed at settling outstanding allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.
The verification exercise revealed a significant disparity between the actual number of National Service personnel and the names submitted by the previous management of the Authority for payment. While 180,030 names were initially presented, only 98,145 were verified as genuine, resulting in the Ministry of Finance disbursing GHS 226,019,224 to settle the arrears.
This revelation underscores the prevalence of fraudulent payroll practices, which have ostensibly led to substantial financial losses for the state.
In response to these findings, President Mahama has directed the newly appointed NSA management to implement urgent reforms, aimed at bolstering internal controls and preventing the recurrence of such malpractices. This directive is emblematic of the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent financial management in the public sector.