The Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has revealed that Ghana lost more than GHS 548 million to ghost names within the National Service Scheme (NSS) over a six-year period.
Providing a detailed breakdown, Dr. Ayine stated that the fraudulent activity began in the 2018/2019 service year, when GHS 25.86 million was illegally paid to non-existent personnel. The following year, 2019/2020, saw a slight drop in losses to GHS 21.61 million.
However, the situation worsened in subsequent years:
- 2020/2021: GHS 55.67 million lost
- 2021/2022: GHS 61.38 million lost
- 2022/2023: GHS 350.93 million lost — the highest in a single year
- 2023/2024: GHS 32.88 million lost
While the most recent figure suggests some improvement in internal controls, the Attorney General emphasized that the issue remains a significant concern.
In total, the state lost GHS 548,333,542.65 over the six service years due to payments to ghost names — highlighting major gaps in public sector oversight and accountability.
Dr. Ayine made these disclosures at a press briefing held today at the Ministry of Information.
