Former officials of the National Service Authority (NSA) have strongly refuted allegations made in a recent investigative report by The Fourth Estate, which accused the agency of financial discrepancies and ghost names on its payroll.
In a press statement signed by former NSA Director-General Osei Assibey Antwi and former Executive Director Mustapha Ussif, the officials described the publication as misleading and based on a misinterpretation of NSA’s enrolment, verification, and payment processes.
According to the statement, The Fourth Estate’s claim that the figures submitted to Parliament for budgeting purposes were inconsistent with publicly available data ignored key enrolment cycles.
The NSA enrolls personnel in phases, including nursing and teacher trainees, whose figures are not reflected in the general postings available in September.
The former officials also dismissed claims that the NSA’s payroll contained ghost names, clarifying that personnel only receive payments after stringent verification processes involving biometric authentication.
Payments are made through the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), a subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana, which ensures that only verified personnel receive allowances.
“The publication falsely suggests that because monies allocated by Parliament exceed verified postings, ghost names are being paid,” the statement read.
“In reality, personnel who fail verification are not placed on the payroll, and any surplus funds remain in the NSA’s accounts.”
Addressing allegations of foreign identities and overaged personnel in the NSA database, the statement explained that educational institutions initially provide data on eligible service personnel, which sometimes contain errors. These inconsistencies, the officials noted, are corrected during NSA’s regional verification process, where biometric and ID verification determine eligibility.
The former officials criticized The Fourth Estate for failing to verify from GhIPSS whether any alleged ghost personnel actually received allowances.
“This betrays the malicious intent of the so-called investigation, which appears to be a calculated attempt to tarnish our reputation,” they asserted.
Despite their strong rebuttal, the officials welcomed President Mahama’s directive for a formal investigation into the matter.
“We are confident that the investigation will expose the inaccuracies in the report and confirm the integrity of the NSA’s processes,” they concluded.
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