The National Service Scheme (NSS) has long been plagued by corruption, with ghost names appearing on its payroll.
About a decade ago, the introduction of measures, including the e-zwich biometric payment system, prevented 75,000 ghost names from entering the NSS payroll during the 2014/2015 service year. This saved the state GH¢26.5 million.
However, despite the biometric system’s introduction, the issue of fraud has resurfaced in an even more alarming manner. A recent investigation by The Fourth Estate revealed that 81,885 fraudulent names were uncovered on the NSS payroll, suggesting that ghost names have returned, despite the biometric verification system in place.
This raises serious questions about how these ghost names managed to bypass the system, which was supposed to prevent such fraud.
Many are eager to know how this could happen. Did officials of the NSS secretly register fake individuals to siphon off the money assigned to them? Or are the ghost names linked to people who might be receiving allowances from the secretariat, even though they are not national service personnel? These questions highlight the need for a thorough investigation to uncover how the system was manipulated and who is responsible.
President John Mahama has ordered an investigation into this latest NSS scandal. Many expect the probe to reach regional and district offices, where suspicions of collusion between coordinators and national service personnel are rife. In some cases, it is alleged that graduates who abandon their posts pass their allowances to coordinators in exchange for a completion certificate, without serving the nation as required.
Deep-Rooted Corruption in the NSS
Ghost names in the NSS payroll are not a new problem. Over the years, investigations have exposed corrupt officials and coordinators who manipulate the system for personal gain. In the era prior to the introduction of the biometric system, there were reports of some regional and district coordinators delaying the payment of allowances, investing the funds for personal profit before eventually paying service personnel. With payment now centralized, it appears, the corrupt officials have devised new ways of milking the system.
Following the latest revelations, President Mahama ordered an audit of the NSS payroll, which took out the 81,885 ghost names. In response, the Finance Ministry released GH¢226 million ($14.6 million) to 98,000 legitimate service personnel as part of efforts to clean up the payroll. This indicates that a significant portion of public funds was being paid to non-existent non-deserving individuals, diverting resources meant for national development.
The NSS has faced similar scandals in the past. In 2014, an investigation revealed that GH¢7.9 million was paid to 22,612 ghost names in just one month. Although efforts have been made to curb such fraud, the latest scandal shows that the problem persists, with the current systems failing to eliminate corruption.
Is the Biometric System Failing?
The biometric registration system was introduced to prevent ghost names by verifying the fingerprints of all service personnel. However, the discovery of nearly 82,000 ghost names suggests that the system has significant loopholes. Key questions remain unanswered: whose fingerprints were used during the biometric registration process? Are corrupt insiders enrolling fake personnel with forged identities? Are NSS coordinators bypassing the biometric system or manually adding names after verification?
The scale of the fraud suggests a well-organized network of corruption involving officials at various levels of the NSS, not just isolated incidents. To stop the ongoing theft of millions from the NSS payroll, stronger, technology-driven, and accountability-focused measures must be implemented.
What Must Be Done to Address the Issue
To combat the persistent corruption within the NSS, Ghana must take several urgent steps:
1. Stronger Oversight: Independent audits of the NSS payroll must be conducted regularly to uncover fraud and prevent further financial losses.
2. Accountability and Transparency: Greater accountability must be enforced at all levels of the NSS. Monthly verification exercises conducted by outside auditors before payments are made could reduce opportunities for fraud.
3. Independent Task Force: A dedicated task force should be created to monitor NSS payroll activities and investigate cases of suspected fraud.
The NSS was designed to equip Ghana’s youth with work experience and skills to serve the nation. Unfortunately, corruption has turned the scheme into a money-making venture for fraudulent officials. The discovery of 81,885 ghost names, and the millions lost due to fraud, demonstrates that the current biometric system is failing. If decisive action is not taken, ghost names will continue to drain national resources, and the NSS will remain a source of financial loss for the state. The government must act swiftly to implement stricter verification methods, enforce accountability, and ensure transparency within the NSS payroll system.
