The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has formally petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to launch an investigation into alleged corruption and corruption-related activities within the National Service Authority (NSA).
The petition, dated Tuesday, December 4, 2024, lamented corrupt practices within the NSA that have reportedly deprived the state of revenue since 2018.
The petition, signed by MFWA officials Seth J. Bokpe and Kwaku Krobea Asante, follows months of investigative journalism conducted under the MFWA’s Fourth Estate initiative.
The investigative report by The Fourth Estate uncovered massive acts of corruption and mismanagement within the National Service Authority (NSA). Among some of the fraudulent practices at the NSA were the enrollment of fake personnel, inflated payments of service personnel allowances, and suspicious procurement processes and contracts.
Among the specific requests, the MFWA called for a comprehensive audit of payments made through the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) from the 2018/2019 to 2023/2024 service years. The petition further noted that electronic evidence has been attached to support the OSP’s potential investigations.
“We request you to conduct an audit of payment of service personnel through Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) from 2018/2019 to 2023/2024 service years. Attached to the petition are pieces of evidence in electronic formats which we believe will aid your investigations. We trust in the independence and integrity of your office to act decisively on this matter to protect the public purse and restore trust in the NSA,” excerpts of the petition read.
Attached to the petition were some key findings following months of investigations by The Fourth Estate.
Key Findings
- Padding of Figures:
- Data from NSA press releases and parliamentary submissions show discrepancies in the number of eligible national service personnel.
- For example, in the 2022/2023 service year, the NSA publicly announced 115,240 eligible personnel, but a submission to Parliament indicated 179,309 personnel deployed, a difference of 64,069, representing a 56% inflation.
- Creation of Fake Index Numbers:
- Tens of thousands of fake student index numbers are generated yearly, falsely adding non-existent individuals to the NSA’s database.
- These numbers are often assigned to graduates from top tertiary institutions, including the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), University of Cape Coast (UCC), and others.
- Enrolment of Overaged Persons:
- Records show that individuals in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s have been enrolled as national service personnel, raising serious concerns about data integrity.
- Examples include Nimatu Salifu, allegedly a recent graduate of the University for Development Studies, but with a date of birth that makes this claim impossible.
- Discrepancies in Announced and Deployed Figures:
- Historical data reveal consistent inflation of figures. For instance:
- In 2018/2019, the NSA announced 85,708 eligible personnel, but records submitted to Parliament showed 135,603 deployed, a 58% increase.
- Similar patterns were observed in subsequent years, with increases of up to 49% in 2023/2024.
- Historical data reveal consistent inflation of figures. For instance:
