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The National Service Scheme (NSS) ghost name scandal has sent shockwaves through Ghana, with billions of cedis reportedly siphoned from the public purse.
The investigation by The Fourth Estate has uncovered a vast scam within the National Service Authority’s (NSA) payroll, revealing thousands of fake names and bogus student index numbers from some of the country’s top universities.
The exposé, spanning the 8-year tenure of former president Nana Akufo-Addo (2017–2024), reveals that these fraudulent identities have been creeping into the system since 2018, resulting in a staggering 2.2 billion cedis in losses.
The fake index numbers were linked to universities such as Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Tamale Technical University, Valley View University (VVU), and several colleges of education.
With an ongoing investigation launched by President John Mahama, here are 5 shocking details from The Fourth Estate’s exposé on the NSS scandal:
1. Over 80-Year-Olds on the NSS Database
One of the most jaw-dropping discoveries was the inclusion of individuals well beyond retirement age. The Fourth Estate revealed:
93-year-old Nimatu Salifu was listed as a UDS graduate, deployed to Kpiyagi D/A Primary School in the Upper West Region in the 2022/2023 service year.
The report continued:
In the same service year, 91-year-old Ruth Abdulai, supposedly a Development Studies graduate from UDS, was posted to Adakura Primary School in the Upper East Region. There’s also an 82-year-old Mahamadu Ali, another UDS graduate, who was posted to Anyinabrim Anglican School in Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.
2. One Name Repeated 226 Times on NSA Payroll
Imagine seeing your name listed 226 times on a government payroll. That’s exactly what happened with Abubakar Fuseini, whose name appeared repeatedly across different entries in the 2022/2023 NSS database, all linked to identical qualifications. The exposé stated:
More shockingly, the 2022/2023 NSS list contained 226 other individuals named ‘Abubakar Fuseini,’ all supposedly from UDS, with identical degrees – Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Development Studies.
The report further highlighted 2,338 other names with index numbers similar to Abubakar’s, which were inconsistent with the university’s official records.
3. A 72-Year-Old Kenyan with a Fake ID
In a bizarre twist, The Fourth Estate revealed that a 72-year-old Kenyan man was listed on the NSS payroll under the fake name Kwame Donkor. The catch? He had no ID. Instead, a random photo was used. A reverse image search revealed the photo was not of him, but of Emmanuel Mutio, a Human Resources Manager at a private IT company in Kenya.
4. Year with the Most Ghost Names – 2024/2025
The investigation uncovered massive discrepancies between the number of eligible NSS personnel disclosed by the NSA and the number presented to parliament. The year 2024/2025 saw the highest number of ghost names, with a shocking 81,885 fraudulent entries.
5. Highest Financial Loss – 2023/2024
In terms of financial losses, the 2023/2024 year saw the highest estimated loss at GH₵513.7m. For this year, the NSA reported 122,275 eligible personnel, yet 182,142 names were presented to parliament, revealing a ghost name discrepancy of 59,867.
Conclusion
In response to the scandal, President Mahama has ordered an immediate investigation by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB). A statement from the President’s Spokesperson, Minister of Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dated Wednesday, 12 February, confirmed that the investigation is part of the administration’s commitment to tackling corruption.