National Investigations Bureau to probe ‘ghost names’ in NSA Payroll- Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an investigation into the operations of the National Service Authority following the discovery of 81,885 suspected ghost names on its payroll.

The directive, outlined in a statement issued by the Presidency on February 12, 2025, has tasked the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) with carrying out the probe to uncover the details behind this significant discrepancy.

According to the statement, the ghost names were uncovered during a headcount of active National Service personnel ordered by the Minister for Finance as part of the process to clear allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.

The head count revealed that only 98,145 personnel were eligible for allowances, a figure significantly lower than the 180,030 names submitted by the Authority’s previous management.
The Ministry of Finance has since released GHS 226,019,224 to settle the arrears for the verified personnel.

The statement also emphasized the President’s concern over the issue and his resolve to prevent future occurrences.

“The new management of the Authority must carry out urgent reforms with the view to establishing adequate controls to prevent a recurrence of the phenomenon of ghost names.” The statement emphasized.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, spokesperson to the President and Minister of State for Government Communications, also highlighted the administration’s commitment to addressing the discrepancies.
“The ghost names were detected following a headcount of active National Service personnel at the behest of the Minister for Finance as a prerequisite for the clearance of allowance arrears,” the statement noted.

The investigation, as outlined in the statement, seeks to ensure transparency and accountability within the National Service Authority while protecting public funds and restoring confidence in the institution’s operations.

Find statement below