By: Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
The ghost names scandal at Ghana’s National Service Authority (NSA) has stolen more than just public funds. It has robbed the youth of their future. This scandal is not a new story of corruption, but a deep-seated betrayal that exposes a broken system. The fraud is a painful reminder that the nation’s most vulnerable are often the first to suffer from institutional greed.
A History of Broken Trust
The National Service Scheme (NSS) began in 1973 with a simple purpose: to prepare graduates for the workforce. For years, the system was paper-based, making it a breeding ground for fraud. Fictitious names were easily added to payrolls, and the term “ghost names” has haunted public institutions for decades. However, the sheer scale of the new scandals is staggering, highlighting years of weak controls and a chronic lack of accountability.
The 2025 Investigation: A New Government’s First Move The government’s response was decisive. In an official statement dated February 2025, President John Dramani Mahama ordered the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to conduct an immediate investigation into the NSA. The ghost names were detected following a head count of active National Service personnel, conducted at the behest of the Minister for Finance as a prerequisite for clearing allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.
While the previous management had presented a payroll of 180,030 names for payment, only 98,145 active service personnel were validated. The President’s office stated that the difference of 81,885 ghost names was detected, representing a potential loss of GH₵50 million in a single month. In his statement, President Mahama directed that “all persons who are found to have been complicit in the malfeasance shall be dealt with in accordance with the law.” This swift presidential order in February served as the catalyst for the full-scale investigation, with subsequent media reports and forensic evidence continuing to emerge in the months that followed.
The Digital Ruse: A New Chapter of Deception
While earlier scandals exposed the failures of a paper-based system, more recent reports reveal a more disturbing reality: the digital system was not a solution but a new frontier for sophisticated crime. Fake identities, some belonging to non-existent
individuals and even 90-year-old “graduates,” were regularly added to the payroll. In a particularly egregious finding, a recent audit revealed that more than 1,000 babies, some less than a year old, were listed on its payroll, draining resources meant for actual service personnel.
The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment abruptly suspended the NSA’s Central Management System (CMS) over integrity concerns, stalling postings. “If the system were foolproof, we wouldn’t have had children under one year without a Ghana Card being on our payroll,” an NSA official explained. “We had almost 1,000 kids under one year on our payroll, on our system.” The official further revealed systemic failures: “To the extent that the system can determine that these ones are below the age of 18, but that was not done.”
The audit also exposed that about 3,000 individuals over the age of 80 were receiving monthly allowances, even though the official exit age is 40. “Meanwhile, the exit years for everybody is 40 years. So how come people above 40 years were found under the system?” the official questioned. As reported by investigative journalists from The Fourth Estate, thousands of fake student index numbers were linked to non-existent students and manipulated biometric data. They found doctored ID cards, and in one bizarre case, a photo of a Kenyan human resources manager was used to register a fake service person. This demonstrates that the problem had evolved, using technology as a cover to facilitate a brazen scam.
Amid the audit’s damning findings, the National Service Authority has made a public pledge to restore order. Acting Executive Director Ruth Seddoh has assured prospective personnel that postings, delayed by the systemic integrity check, will be released by November 1, 2025. This firm commitment aims to calm growing anxieties and signals the NSA’s resolve to implement a new, reliable framework. The Authority is now working to ensure future payrolls are secure, transparent, and finally free from fraud.
The 2014 Audit: Exposing the Paper-Based Scam
Ghanaians first heard the bad news of “ghost names” in 2014. Media reports said GH¢7.9 million had been paid to 22,612 non-existent service persons in more than 100 districts in July 2014 alone. The news spread like wildfire and Ghanaians expressed disgust and disapproval of the story. Subsequently, 163 staff, including the executive director, four management staff, all 10 regional directors and 149 metropolitan, municipal and district managers of the National Service Scheme (NSS) were summarily dismissed by the Authority’s management on the advice of the governing board.
Initial Discovery and Investigation
Investigations conducted by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) indicated that a total of 22,612 ghost names were generated at the NSS headquarters, resulting in the loss of GH¢7.9 million in July alone. According to the prosecution, from September 2013 to July 2014, Alhaji Imoro stole a total sum of GH¢86.9 million from state coffers. The prosecution said an amount of GH¢7.9 million was paid to 22,612 non-existent service persons every month. It was also noted that the ghost names were generated at the NSS headquarters under the supervision of the former NSS boss.
The state said Alhaji Imoro instructed that the names be added to the Payment Vouchers, which were then distributed to the Regional National Service Scheme Directors, who in turn distributed them to the District Directors. The prosecution indicated that Imoro signed cheques for payments and these were deposited in the various banks of the districts where service persons withdrew their allowances. He also issued instructions to the District Directors that after the allowances of the genuine service persons had been paid, the money for the ghost names should be withdrawn and sent to him through the Regional Directors. In all, an amount of GH¢86.9 million was received by Imoro from the 10 Regional Directors.
Legal and Prosecutorial Action
Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Alhaji Alhassan Mohammed Imoro, was remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing Gh¢86.9 million from state funds. He pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing but was remanded to reappear on October 27, 2014. The Cocoa Affairs Circuit Court refused an application for bail from Alhaji Imoro’s lawyer, upholding the prosecution’s request for a remand warrant to enable investigations into fraud in the operations of the NSS. The court was presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri.
The then Executive Director of the NSS, Alhaji Alhassan Imoro, along with two others, faced charges including conspiracy and theft. Their prosecution was a crucial test of the government’s commitment to fighting corruption. Imoro was ultimately convicted and sentenced to six years in prison, with one of his co-conspirators receiving a four-year sentence. This case was a significant moment for accountability in Ghana.
A Generational Impact and Crisis of Trust
The true victims of this scandal are Ghana’s youth. The theft of funds led to delayed allowance payments and resulted in poor-quality service postings. One frustrated personnel was quoted as saying, “We spend our transport fares to go to work and sometimes borrow to be able to go. Meanwhile, the allowance that is due us is not being paid. It is a serious problem.” This scandal has destroyed the integrity of the program and crushed the hopes of young graduates.
National service is meant to be a vital step into the professional world; instead, it has become a source of despair. The scandal confirmed public fears that corruption is a deep-seated problem in the nation’s institutions. A political analyst, who requested anonymity, noted that “confidence in public resource management and government supervision may be significantly damaged.” It casts a long shadow over Ghana’s future, proving that new technology alone is not enough. Ethical leadership and accountability are what truly matter. The challenge is not just to recover the money; the greater challenge is to restore faith in the system.
Restoring Trust: A Blueprint for Reform
This “ghost names” scandal is a familiar tale in Ghana, with similar corruption having plagued the public sector for years. The Social Security and Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and other public payrolls have faced comparable issues. These past events show a recurring problem rooted in a lack of political will to enforce strong controls and a culture of impunity. To move forward, Ghana must implement radical solutions. Technology is a tool, not a fix. The Ghana Card is an important step, as it provides a unique biometric identifier that should be fully integrated into the NSS system. This would create a single, verifiable database. A fully transparent payroll system is needed to allow for public scrutiny, giving citizens access to verified service personnel numbers. Independent audits must be routine and mandatory, and stronger laws with swift prosecution are also key. The culprits must be punished to deter future crimes. The path forward demands more than just talk; it requires decisive action.
