MASSIVE THEFT ROCKS NATIONAL SERVICE AUTHORITY; Officials Diverting 28 Million Cedis Monthly

Disturbing revelations have emerged from the National Service Authority (NSA) following an extensive investigation by The Fourth Estate, exposing serious allegations of high-ranking officials’ involvement in the embezzlement of state funds.

The Scheme, led by former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) mayor Osei Assibey Antwi, has reportedly been clandestinely siphoning a staggering 28 million Cedis every month, with allegations of key figures such as deputy executive director Gifty Oware living lavish lifestyles off the proceeds. Antwi was appointed during the president’s second term.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the parent organization of The Fourth Estate, has lodged a formal petition with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the alleged corruption and related activities at the NSA.

Filed on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, the petition comes after months of investigative work by the media outlet, revealing a troubling pattern of financial mismanagement and misappropriation within the Authority.

Documents submitted to the OSP include evidence collected by the investigative team, highlighting various corrupt practices. This includes generating thousands of fake student index numbers linked to supposed graduates from diverse tertiary institutions, discrepancies in reported personnel numbers eligible for deployment between public announcements and presentations to Parliament, and the enrollment and posting of over-aged individuals using fake or ineligible identification documents.

The modus operandi reportedly involves padding the payroll with 40,000 fictitious names out of 120,000 National Service postings in a year. This creates an illicit sum of 28,600,000 Cedis per month, multiplying into billions over the years.

The Fourth Estate’s findings further disclose instances of enrolment of individuals in their 70s, 80s, and 90s for national service, exploiting fake passport photos and other fraudulent means. The scandal also involves the use of various invalid ID cards for enrollment, deviating from the official requirement of the Ghana Card.

Moreover, discrepancies surfaced between publicly announced figures by the NSA and actual numbers presented to Parliament, with the unauthorized addition of names through fraudulent index numbers. The investigation also found evidence of a marketplace scheme deducting allowances of legitimate personnel for purchases they did not make, and the inclusion of unauthorized service personnel from unaccredited institutions.

When The Fourth Estate attempted to disclose their investigative findings, the NSA, under Antwi’s leadership, secured a court injunction to halt the premiering. The media outlet faced obstruction in interviewing Authority officials, with restrictions lifting only post the general election.

This episode echoes similar past revelations during former President John Dramani Mahama’s tenure, where whistleblowers uncovered similar misconduct leading to investigations and repercussions. However, concerns arise over the current administration’s priorities, with political expediency seemingly overshadowing accountability in critical matters.