Accra, Ghana – February 18, 2025
Former Directors-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi and Mustapha Ussif, have dismissed allegations of financial irregularities within the Authority, following a recent investigative report by The Fourth Estate.
In a press release sighted by Citi News on Tuesday, February 18, the former officers described the publication as misleading and lacking context, accusing the media outlet of selective omission of critical information.
Key Allegations and Their Response
- Discrepancies in National Service Personnel Figures
- The publication claimed there was a difference between the figures presented to Parliament and those available to the public.
- The former NSA heads clarified that The Fourth Estate only considered the general September postings, excluding additional enrolments from nursing and teacher trainees.
- Claims of Ghost Names on Payroll
- The report alleged that the NSA inflated its payroll with non-existent personnel.
- The former officials explained that all service personnel must undergo stringent verification before receiving payments, which are processed through the GhiPPS system under the Bank of Ghana.
- Foreign Pictures, Overaged Individuals, and Wrong IDs
- The investigative piece alleged that the NSA system contained suspicious entries, including foreign images and incorrect identification details.
- The former DGs countered that entry errors are common but are corrected during regional verification. Individuals who fail verification are not paid.
- Intentional Misrepresentation of Data
- Assibey and Ussif accused The Fourth Estate of relying on preliminary figures rather than verified payroll data.
- They argued that the publication was designed to be sensational rather than factual.
Support for Investigation
The former NSA heads welcomed President Mahama’s directive for an investigation, expressing confidence that an official probe will vindicate them and expose the inaccuracies in the report.
They further urged journalists to conduct thorough investigations to avoid publishing misleading stories that unfairly damage reputations.
Read the full statement below
