Mahama orders NIB probe into National Service Authority ghost names scandal

President John Dramani Mahama has directed the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to launch an immediate probe into the operations of the National Service Authority following the discovery of 81,885 suspected ghost names on its payroll.

The fraudulent entries were uncovered during a headcount of active National Service personnel, which was initiated as a prerequisite for clearing outstanding allowance arrears dating back to August 2024. The headcount, ordered by the Minister for Finance, revealed a significant discrepancy between the actual number of personnel and the figures presented by the previous management of the Authority.

Following the verification process, the Ministry of Finance has released GHS 226,019,224 to settle the arrears of 98,145 verified National Service personnel. This number is significantly lower than the 180,030 names originally submitted for payment in 2024, exposing the extent of the payroll irregularities.

In addition to the investigation, President Mahama has instructed the new management of the National Service Authority to implement urgent reforms aimed at strengthening payroll controls and preventing the recurrence of ghost names.