The National Service Authority (NSA) has uncovered extensive irregularities in its payroll and registration system for the 2025/2026 service year, leading to the flagging of over 8,105 names and the suspension of 1,840 personnel pending investigations.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Authority’s headquarters on Monday, the Director-General, Ms Ruth Dela Sedoh, announced that the discoveries were made possible through the implementation of a new centralised management system aimed at eradicating payroll fraud, popularly known as “ghost names”.
Ms Sedoh revealed that investigations pointed to serious irregularities involving three tertiary institutions: the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), and Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).
She disclosed that 10 staff members from these institutions have been arrested and are under investigation by security agencies. Additionally, some NSA staff have also been arrested and are being interrogated.
The Director-General explained that the Authority had long faced criticism over fraudulent entries in its database. In response, management rolled out stringent IT reforms, enhanced internal controls, and improved banking trails to boost transparency and accountability in payroll administration.
“To effectively implement these reforms, the old system was shut down and replaced with a new centralised platform, which has proven to be far more secure and efficient,” she stated.
Ms Sedoh emphasised that the new system has already yielded significant results, allowing the NSA to detect and prevent the recurrence of these longstanding issues.
She outlined the process, noting that accredited tertiary institutions are required to submit lists of final-year students via a secure portal managed by authorised staff. These lists are then cross-verified with records from the National Identification Authority (NIA) before deployments are made.
The NSA’s probe included extensive data extraction, forensic analysis of payment records, cross-checking with institutional databases, on-site verification visits, and engagements with university administrators to validate submitted lists.
“The outcome of this detailed and comprehensive investigation revealed serious irregularities within the system,” Ms Sedoh said.
She assured that flagged or suspended individuals will remain so until security agencies conclude their probes. The Authority, she added, is committed to safeguarding public funds and rebuilding trust in the National Service Scheme.
The reforms, according to the NSA, represent a major step forward in bolstering the integrity of the national service process and eliminating future payroll fraud.