The acting Executive Director of the NSA, Ruth Seddoh, has revealed an alarming payroll irregularity, including over 1,000 babies and persons above age 80.
Ruth Seddoh detailed that over 1,000 babies, some less than a year old and thousands of individuals above 80 years of age were listed as active service personnel.
The NSA official in audio stated, “ If the system were foolproof, we wouldn’t have had children under one year without a Ghana Card being on our payroll. We had almost 1,000 kids under one year on our payroll, on our system.”
“But we were thinking that if the system were to be foolproof, the system would have detected that these people were minors. Because it is done, and it can be done. To the extent that the system can determine that these ones are below the age of 18, but that was not done.”
She added, “We have people above the age of 80 years on the system, and receiving monthly allowances. Meanwhile, the exit years for everybody is 40 years. So how come people above 40 years were found under the system?” the official questioned.
The audit revelations have raised questions about the integrity of the NSA’s Central Management System (CMS).
The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, under the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, abruptly suspended the system on June 18, 2025.
However, there have been administrative shake-ups at the Authority, including the reassignment of former acting Director Felix Gyamfi to the Ministry of Finance.
The NSA has reassured prospective service personnel that postings will be released on November 1, 2025
Acting Executive Director Ruth Seddoh stated, “The transition team has been put in place and the framework for the new system has been set up… I can assure any prospective personnel to calm down, as by November 1, posting will be done”.
In addition, some Ghanaians have shared their opinion on the news, saying, “Who’s also furious about reports not leading to prosecutions? Now we’re told to wait for the judiciary’s month-long break to end. Ridiculous!”
“This government is overly fond of media spectacles. Putting information in the public without taking action has a significant impact on the government’s credibility in combating corruption”, a netizen added.
One more netizen added, “The NDC created ORAL for a reason, and they need to be efficient with it, or else all this information we hear is a nuisance to our ears. Prosecute and jail those involved, or else it’s all bs”.
Additionally, another Ghanaian added, “You guys should gerrout with that nonsense. Always making noise into our ears. Have you made any arrests? Attorney General is always having press conferences. Meanwhile, none of these alleged offenders has been prosecuted. Arrest, reimbursement and prosecution, then jail”.
“U discover something every blessed day, but no prosecutions and no actions, people have looted this nation and are walking freely, some of us voted cus of ORAL oo so if u guys know u won’t take any action, just don’t update us at all, it really makes us more upset”, one more X user added.
Meanwhile, in a related NSA scandal, Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has stated that twelve suspects will be charged in the National Service scandal.
According to the Attorney General, former Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Mustapha Ussif, former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi and former Deputy Director in charge of Finance and Administration, Gifty Oware-Mensah.
He revealed that the former National Service Authority (NSA) ran a criminal enterprise which siphoned huge sums of public funds, including over GHC548 million.
The Attorney General later revealed that eight suspects have approached him for plea negotiations.
The A-G revealed that suspects demanding a plea negotiation include some officials offering to testify against their colleagues.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, July 28, 2025, Dr. Ayine explained, “The National Service Authority scandal case was due to be filed last week when we stumbled upon further evidence of malfeasance involving an account at the Bank of Ghana, to which had been transferred an amount of One Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million Ghana Cedis (Ghs 189,000,000.00).
Out of this amount, Eighty Million Ghana Cedis cannot be traced, but we found two cheques bearing the name and account details of the former Director General, Mr. Osei Assibey, which had been used to withdraw funds totalling a little under Two Million Ghana Cedis (Ghs 2m) from the said account”.
He added, “We have therefore halted the filing of charges so as to await the receipt of the evidence from the relevant state agencies, including the Bank of Ghana, Ministry of Finance and the Controller and Accountant General”.
See the post below:
National Service Authority audit discovered almost 1,000 babies, under age one, on its payroll – Ag. Director General, Ruth Seddoh#JoyNews pic.twitter.com/6YbjUp14K1
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) September 9, 2025