The National Service Authority (NSA) has exposed a sophisticated payroll fraud scheme in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region, implicating two senior officials in a deliberate act of systemic corruption.
According to an official press statement released by the NSA, the District Manager and the MIS Manager were found to have orchestrated fraudulent validation and processing of monthly allowances for numerous individuals misrepresented as regular National Service Personnel.
The scheme involved at least 29 individuals in the 2024/2025 service year and 49 in the 2023/2024 service year—many of whom were on Study Leave with Pay or were already in full-time employment.
According to the statement, both implicated officers have admitted their involvement when presented with substantial evidence of misconduct. Consequently, they have been interdicted as investigations proceed.
“During a meeting convened this morning, both individuals were presented with substantial evidence of their misconduct. In further discussions, the two officers admitted to their direct involvement in the fraudulent activity. As a result, the Management of the Authority has interdicted the two officers, pending further investigations.”
NSA Investigation into Public Service Payroll Fraud
According to the NSA, further scrutiny has revealed a broader payroll fraud pattern across the country, involving individuals employed as teachers, nurses, midwives, customs officers, and other government workers.
These individuals allegedly concealed their employment status to fraudulently receive National Service allowances in addition to their regular salaries—violating public service laws and ethics.
The NSA clarified that individuals on Study Leave or employed National Service personnel are legally required to complete their National Service but are not eligible for monthly allowances, as they continue to receive salaries from their primary employers.
“For clarity, “Study Leave” or “Employed National Service Personnel” are individuals who are gainfully employed and receive monthly salaries from their employers but had not previously undertaken their mandatory National Service. Such individuals are allowed to register and serve to fulfil legal obligations under the National Service Act; however, these persons are not regular National Service Persons so they are not entitled to monthly service allowances, as they continue to receive salaries from their respective employers.” NSA noted.
The NSA revealed that some of these personnel, however, colluded with NSA officials to alter their status and receive unauthorised payments.
Citing the Public Services Commission Act, 1994 (Act 482), NSA emphasised that such fraudulent conduct breaches ethical and legal standards governing public officers. Offenders risk dismissal, prosecution, and permanent disqualification from future public service roles.
NSA Nationwide Crackdown & Enforcement Measures
As part of a comprehensive reform agenda, the authority has implemented stricter verification protocols to curb payroll fraud.
Enrollment records will now be cross-checked with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) database to eliminate cases of double remuneration and identity falsification.
“In line with new reforms to climinate payroll fraud, we are implementing stricter verification processes to sanitise the system and restore integrity to the National Service Authority. All records submitted for enrolment will now be validated against the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) employment database to detect and eliminate instances of double remuneration and identity falsification.”
Deadline Notice
The NSA has issued a final directive for all implicated individuals nationwide—estimated to be in the thousands—to immediately cease submitting allowance forms and voluntarily report to NSA regional offices by May 23, 2025, for status rectification.
“Failure to do so will result in the future publication of the names and photographs of all found culpable without recourse to them and the forwarding of their details to the appropriate security and law enforcement agencies for further investigation and potential prosecution,” NSA noted.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to zero tolerance for fraud, warning that intelligence agencies and whistleblowers have been monitoring offenders for months.
“Anyone attempting to defraud the system shall be found out, shamed, and prosecuted,” the statement concluded.
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