National Service flags 8,105 names over payroll irregularities

The National Service Authority (NSA) has revealed that its recent internal investigations uncovered irregularities in the system, resulting in the flagging of 8,105 personnel on the national service payroll.

According to the Authority, 1,840 of these individuals have been temporarily suspended, pending the outcome of investigations by relevant investigative bodies.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, December 15, the Director-General of the Authority, Ruth Dela Seddoh, explained that the irregularities were identified in three tertiary institutions: the University of Development Studies (UDS), Ghana Communication Technology University, and Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development.

“The number of students who have officially graduated from the schools, and we compare that with the number of students that they have submitted to us. And so when you do that, you realise that some schools are complicit in this whole thing, and I must emphasise that it is a whole huge cartel.

“Due to the outcome of a very detailed, thorough and comprehensive investigation, we made shocking discoveries that resulted in the flagging of 8,105 individuals in the system. Let me repeat, we made a shocking discovery that resulted in us flagging 8,105 individuals in the system, and 1,840 individuals have been completely suspended pending conclusion of further investigations by the security agencies.

“The investigations uncovered a number of serious irregularities being perpetuated in three tertiary institutions. University of Development Studies (UDS), Ghana Communications Technology University, Akenten Appiah Minka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development. The outcome of the investigation, 10 members of staff from the various institutions have been arrested and are under investigation with the security agencies.”

Addressing concerns about the shutdown of the portal after two extensions, six weeks after it was opened, she noted that the decision was necessary to allow for reposting, proper validation, and the verification of the physical presence of personnel at their assigned institutions, among other reasons.

“This timeline was not arbitrary. So, for the many people who think that it was just arbitrary on our part to shut the portal, that was not the intention.