[Ghana] Ghost names remain on NSS payroll despite Ghana Card integration

A new investigation has exposed a major loophole in Ghana’s National Service Scheme (NSS) registration process. Tens of thousands of ghost names were fraudulently added to the payroll despite the integration of the Ghana Card, which was expected to eliminate such irregularities, Business Week reports.

Ghana’s former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, championed the Ghana Card In the lead-up to the 2024 elections as a crucial tool for eradicating ghost names from government payrolls, including the NSS. 

However, the findings of an investigation by The Fourth Estate reportedly suggest that the system was manipulated to accommodate fraudulent registrations.

According to The Fourth Estate, the alleged fraud exploited a loophole which let ‘private candidates’ - graduates who missed their service in prior years - register late. This process was manipulated by inserting fake identities and assigning them to various institutions to collect allowances.

Speaking to The KeyPoints program on February 15, Sulemana Braimah - Executive Director of The Fourth Estate - said, The system was supposed to prevent this kind of fraud, but those behind the scheme found a way around it.” 

Documents obtained by the investigative team reportedly showed that multiple ghost names were linked to the same fake student IDs and Ghana Card numbers.

Dr Bawumia stated that the Ghana Card could identify ghost names from any digitalised system. However, the fraud was well-calculated, and we even found instances where the same name appeared over 200 times,” Mr Braimah said.

The news has reignited concerns about the effectiveness of Ghana’s digital identity system in preventing payroll fraud, particularly in government institutions, with critics saying that despite digitalisation being a powerful tool for accountability, it is not immune to manipulation if proper oversight mechanisms are not in place.

In the wake of the scandal, the government is reportedly under mounting pressure to address loopholes in the NSS registration system and ensure that the Ghana Card actually delivers on its promise of payroll integrity.

Source: Business Week

(Quotes via original reporting)

A new investigation has exposed a major loophole in Ghana’s National Service Scheme (NSS) registration process. Tens of thousands of ghost names were fraudulently added to the payroll despite the integration of the Ghana Card, which was expected to eliminate such irregularities, Business Week reports.

Ghana’s former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, championed the Ghana Card In the lead-up to the 2024 elections as a crucial tool for eradicating ghost names from government payrolls, including the NSS. 

However, the findings of an investigation by The Fourth Estate reportedly suggest that the system was manipulated to accommodate fraudulent registrations.

According to The Fourth Estate, the alleged fraud exploited a loophole which let ‘private candidates’ - graduates who missed their service in prior years - register late. This process was manipulated by inserting fake identities and assigning them to various institutions to collect allowances.

Speaking to The KeyPoints program on February 15, Sulemana Braimah - Executive Director of The Fourth Estate - said, The system was supposed to prevent this kind of fraud, but those behind the scheme found a way around it.” 

Documents obtained by the investigative team reportedly showed that multiple ghost names were linked to the same fake student IDs and Ghana Card numbers.

Dr Bawumia stated that the Ghana Card could identify ghost names from any digitalised system. However, the fraud was well-calculated, and we even found instances where the same name appeared over 200 times,” Mr Braimah said.

The news has reignited concerns about the effectiveness of Ghana’s digital identity system in preventing payroll fraud, particularly in government institutions, with critics saying that despite digitalisation being a powerful tool for accountability, it is not immune to manipulation if proper oversight mechanisms are not in place.

In the wake of the scandal, the government is reportedly under mounting pressure to address loopholes in the NSS registration system and ensure that the Ghana Card actually delivers on its promise of payroll integrity.

Source: Business Week

(Quotes via original reporting)