Auditor-General Audit Exposes GH¢1.9B Fraud at NSS: Children, Elderly Paid as ‘Service Personnel’ with Negative Ages
A forensic audit by the Auditor-General has uncovered staggering irregularities at the National Service Secretariat (NSS), revealing GH¢1.9 billion in fraudulent payments to “ghost” personnel—including children, elderly individuals, and service members with negative ages—from 2018 to 2024.
The report, released on Wednesday, implicates former bosses Mustapha Ussif, Gifty Oware-Mensah, and Osei Assibey Antwi in a scheme of overpayments, unverified enrollments, and bypassed controls.
The audit, triggered by Article 187(8) of the 1992 Constitution, found GH¢1.07 billion disbursed for service exceeding 13 months, GH¢989 million to unverified personnel without biometric checks, and GH¢302 million to vendors lacking contracts or proof of work.
Manual overrides bypassed 78% of automated postings and 65% of enrollments, with the former Deputy Executive Director—now facing charges for stealing millions—receiving GH¢559 monthly for 12 months while employed.
The Client Service Management Portal (CSMP) and Metric App were deemed “fit for purpose” despite weaknesses, yet the NSS replaced them in August 2025—a move the auditors deemed unnecessary and contentious amid the sacked boss’s disputes with the sector minister.
The report recommends payroll transfer to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and a “no Ghana Card, no posting” policy.
