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Mahama Cracks Down on NSS Ghost Names: Arrests & Freezes

National Service Ghost Names Scandal: President Mahama Orders Arrests and Asset Freezes

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered security services to declare all individuals involved in a purported payroll fraud scam sought in order to take firm action against corruption in Ghana’s National Service Scheme. The government reportedly lost millions of dollars in illegal payments as a result of the addition of over 80,000 false names to the scheme.

In his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Mahama denounced the plan as a “audacious act of corruption” and promised to see that justice was done.

“As part of our ‘Recover All the Loot’ policy, I have instructed investigative bodies to hold the perpetrators accountable. Such blatant misappropriation of public funds cannot go unpunished,” Mahama declared.

According to reports, 81,885 ghost names were discovered during an official counting of active National Service members, which might have cost the country more than GH¢50 million every month. All of the connected fugitives have been ordered to be listed as sought by the president, and their assets have been tracked down and blocked until the investigations are finished.

Mahama instructed the recently appointed National Service Authority leadership to implement immediate measures to close gaps in response to the incident. In order to improve governance, he also assigned the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment the responsibility of creating new laws under the National Service Authorities Act, 2024 (Act 1119).

The President declared the start of a brief military training program for national service members to teach discipline and resilience. He said, “We want to instill in our youth a culture of discipline and national service.”

Turning his attention to scholarship anomalies, Mahama attacked the current system, claiming that wealthy people push away worthy kids from impoverished backgrounds. He promoted openness in government funding by requiring an annual announcement of scholarship recipients in order to guarantee equity.

Mahama launched the Ejumawura Programme, a national job creation initiative aimed at assisting young entrepreneurs, in order to address youth unemployment. To assist young Ghanaians in starting long-lasting businesses, the program will offer training opportunities, financial assistance, and business mentorship.

With these bold initiatives, Mahama is positioning his administration as a force against corruption while prioritizing youth empowerment, education, and national development.

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