President John Dramani Mahama has directed an investigation into the discovery of 81,885 suspected ghost names on the payroll of the National Service Scheme (NSS).

A statement issued by the Presidency on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, and signed by the President’s Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu revealed that the suspected ghost names were identified after a headcount of active National Service personnel.

This was carried out at the request of the Minister for Finance as a necessary step for clearing allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.

"The Ministry of Finance has upon the completion of the head count, released an amount of GHS 226,019,224 covering allowance payment arrears for 98,145 actual National Service Personnel," the statement read.

"This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024," it added.

Meanwhile, President Mahama has also urged the current management of the NSS to implement urgent reforms, establishing proper controls to prevent the recurrence of the ghost names issue in the future.

"President Mahama has also tasked the new management of the Authority to carry out urgent reforms with the view to establishing adequate controls to prevent a recurrence of the phenomenon of ghost names," the statement concluded.

Read the statement from the Presidency below:

PRESIDENCY COMMUNICATIONS

Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

President Mahama orders investigations into National Service Authority ghost names scandal after dearance of arrears.

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to conduct immediate investigations into the operations of the National Service Authority under the previous government following the discovery of up to 81,885 suspected ghost names on the payroll of the Authority.

The ghost names were detected following a head count of active National Service personnel at the behest of the Minister for Finance as a prerequisite for the dearance of allowance arrears dating back to August 2024.

The Ministry of Finance has upon the completion of the head count, released an amount of GHS 226,019,224 covering allowance payment arrears for 98,145 actual National Service Personnel.

This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024.

President Mahama has also tasked the new management of the Authority to carry out urgent reforms with the view to establishing adequate controls to prevent a recurrence of the phenomenon of ghost names.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, MP.

Spokesperson to the President, Minister, Government Communications.