Former NSS Director Denies Involvement in Ghost Names Scandal

Mustapha Ussif, the former NSS Director, denies involvement in the GH¢50 million ghost names scandal. He is willing to cooperate with investigations and is prepared to defend himself in court. The scandal, labeled by the Attorney General as a criminal enterprise, involved fake identities created to misappropriate funds. Calls for public payroll reforms are being renewed as the investigation continues.

Mustapha Ussif, a Member of Parliament for Yagaba-Kubori and former Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), has publicly denied any association with the GH¢50 million ghost names scandal recently exposed by the Attorney General. Ussif, who served as head of the NSS from 2017 until 2021, stated he is fully prepared to account for his time in office and is willing to defend himself legally if needed.

“I served diligently during my time at the NSS and have nothing to hide,” Ussif was quoted as saying. He expressed his willingness to welcome any scrutiny regarding his actions while in service, affirming his cooperation with ongoing investigations.

The Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, referred to the scandal as a “nationwide criminal enterprise,” revealing that 81,885 ghost names were manipulated to inflate the NSS payroll. Accusations point towards senior officials, including district directors and payroll officers, who allegedly forged identities to misappropriate funds intended for national service personnel.

Ayine explained the scheme may have cost the Ghanaian state over GH¢50 million on a monthly basis. This apparent fraud was organized, with fabricated entries submitted before each service term. Furthermore, it has been alleged that these siphoned funds were redirected to private bank accounts and used as bribes to influence a sitting MP in 2024, an effort to stifle media coverage of the scandal.

Amid these serious allegations, Ussif has called for calm, underscoring his commitment to transparency during the investigation. The fallout from the scandal is already sparking renewed discussions about necessary reforms in Ghana’s public payroll systems, aiming to avoid such fraudulent activities in the future.

Former NSS Director Mustapha Ussif has firmly rejected claims of his involvement in a significant ghost names scandal linked to over GH¢50 million in misallocated funds. As the investigation unfolds, Ussif is encouraging transparency while the Attorney General has labeled the situation as a serious criminal enterprise, indicating broader implications for the integrity of Ghana’s public payroll system moving forward. The situation continues to develop as authorities seek accountability and reform in public financial practices to curb future frauds.

Original Source: www.newsghana.com.gh