President John Dramani Mahama has vowed to take decisive action against those implicated in the National Service ‘ghost names’ scandal, a massive case of financial fraud that has drained millions of cedis from the public purse.
In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, February 27, President Mahama revealed that he has instructed investigative agencies to trace and freeze the assets of all individuals suspected of being involved in the fraudulent scheme.
Additionally, Mahama announced that anyone who has fled the country will be declared wanted as part of efforts to ensure full accountability and recover the stolen funds.
“As part of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), I have tasked our investigative bodies with bringing those behind the National Service ghost names to justice. This blatant theft of public funds cannot and will not go unpunished,” Mahama stated. “It is estimated that more than 80,000 ghost names could have generated over GH¢50 million every month for the suspects.”
The scandal, uncovered following a nationwide audit of the National Service Authority (NSA), involved thousands of fake names being added to the payroll, enabling corrupt officials to divert funds intended for legitimate National Service personnel.
Investigations have shown that senior officials within the NSS, district directors, and payroll administrators worked together to fabricate personnel, allowing them to withdraw salaries for non-existent workers.
