The Director General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Felix Gyamfi, has called on The Fourth Estate to allow state agencies to complete their investigations into the ghost names scandal before drawing conclusions.
His remarks come after President John Dramani Mahama directed a probe into 81,885 suspected ghost names on the NSA payroll.
Discovery of Payroll Irregularities
According to Presidential Spokesperson and Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the irregularities were uncovered during a headcount of active national service personnel.
The audit was initiated at the request of Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as part of efforts to clear outstanding allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.
The scandal first came to light in November 2024 following an investigative report by The Fourth Estate, which exposed discrepancies in the number of national service personnel announced and those actually deployed between 2018 and 2024.
For example, in the 2017–2018 period, the NSA announced 91,871 personnel, but only 88,000 were deployed, leaving a shortfall of 2,900. The investigation also uncovered multiple instances of duplicate names in the payroll records, as well as individuals over 90 years old registered for national service.
Felix Gyamfi’s Response
Speaking on Channel One TV, Mr. Gyamfi described the revelations as “shocking” but cautioned that the credibility of the case could be compromised if the reported figures turned out to be inaccurate.
“It’s shocking, despicable to say the least, but as I have stated earlier, The Fourth Estate has made an allegation, and it remains an allegation until it is proven by the state. They should allow the relevant agencies to conduct their investigations properly.”
He further emphasized the importance of a thorough inquiry, noting that the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive probe into the matter.
“The president has directed the BNI to conduct a proper investigation. My concern is that while there is a widespread belief that ghost names exist, we need to ensure that if crimes were committed, those responsible are held accountable.”
“However, if figures are prematurely published and later turn out to be incorrect, the case could lose its credibility. That is my biggest concern at the moment,” he added.
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