The National Service Authority (NSA) has again been rocked by a payroll fraud scandal implicating senior district officials in the Eastern Region.
The NSA confirmed the interdiction of its Birim North District Manager and MIS Manager, both of whom admitted to orchestrating a fraudulent allowance scheme targeting public funds.
The two officers allegedly validated monthly payments for 29 ineligible individuals during the 2024/2025 service year and 49 others in the preceding year, many of whom were already salaried public servants or on study leave.
The scam, described by the NSA as a “dastardly act,” signals a deeper governance challenge facing Ghana’s public sector compensation systems.
“This is not merely a disciplinary matter. It is a breach of public trust, a violation of the National Service Act, and a direct assault on the integrity of our public institutions,” said Felix Gyamfi, Director-General, NSA.
The case underscores the fragile oversight mechanisms within Ghana’s national payroll structure, a sector frequently plagued by “ghost names” and illegal dual payments. Analysts have long warned that weak inter-agency data integration, especially between the NSA and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD), provides fertile ground for manipulation of service records.
“These were not mistakes. They were calculated and deliberate acts of deception,” Mr. Gyamfi said.
According to internal sources, the fraud scheme relied on the falsification of enrolment statuses, enabling public servants to be listed as National Service Personnel while still receiving salaries from their primary employment. Some of those implicated work in education, healthcare, customs, and other critical sectors.
A Broader, Deeper Breach
The Birim North case is not isolated. The NSA now says the fraud appears to be part of a “nationwide canker” with similar operations detected across multiple regions. This has prompted the Authority to intensify cross-departmental audits and implement digital verification tools aimed at comparing service rosters with national payroll and employment data.
“As part of the ongoing reforms and comprehensive clean-up… we have uncovered a troubling trend involving willful falsification of records by individuals currently working as Teachers, Nurses, Midwives, Customs Officers, and others in Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and private companies,” the statement read.
The NSA stressed that public servants on study leave or already employed are legally barred from receiving service allowances. Despite this, several have colluded with NSA district officers to alter their status and receive illegal payments.
“For clarity, ‘Study Leave’ or ‘Employed National Service Personnel’ are not entitled to monthly service allowances,” the statement clarified. “Their appointment letters state this in no uncertain terms. And yet, many of them collude with NSA District Managers to change their status and siphon public funds.”
Legal and Administrative Repercussions
The Authority referenced Section 12 of the Public Services Commission Act, 1994 (Act 482) to highlight the legal violations involved, warning of a full-scale crackdown. The behavior, it said, amounts to unlawful enrichment and misappropriation of state resources.
“This is unlawful enrichment. It is a misappropriation of public funds. And it shall be addressed with the full weight of applicable laws.” The NSA has set a deadline of May 23, 2025, for all those involved in the scheme to voluntarily report to regional offices and regularize their status. Those who fail to comply will face exposure, prosecution, and disqualification from public service.
“This is a clear warning. The staff of the National Intelligence Bureau and whistleblowers have been monitoring quietly for months. The net is tightening,” the statement read.
“We have zero tolerance for this conduct. Staff found guilty will be dismissed. Public servants involved will face termination, prosecution, and permanent disqualification from public service. The era of impunity is over.”
