MFWA Petitions Special Prosecutor Over Alleged Corruption at National Service Authority

Ferdinand | EducationGhana |  December 09| MFWA Petitions Special Prosecutor Over Alleged Corruption at National Service Authority

MFWA petitions Special Prosecutor to investigate alleged corruption at NSA. Accusations include fake index numbers, enrolment discrepancies, and ineligible postings. Court injunction blocks investigative report.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has officially petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the National Service Authority (NSA), formerly the National Service Scheme (NSS), over allegations of widespread corruption and mismanagement.

Allegations of Corruption

The petition, dated December 4, 2024, follows a detailed investigation by The Fourth Estate, which uncovered a series of alleged fraudulent practices within the NSA. According to the investigative report, these activities have cost the state millions of cedis annually since 2018.

Key allegations outlined in the petition include:

• Fake Student Index Numbers: Thousands of fictitious index numbers reportedly linked to supposed graduates from tertiary institutions.
• Discrepancies in Deployment Figures: Significant differences between personnel numbers reported to the public versus figures presented to Parliament.
• Ineligible Enrolments: Alleged enrolment and deployment of over-aged individuals and the use of fake identification cards.

Legal Actions and Injunction

Ahead of The Fourth Estate’s planned publication of a series of investigative reports on December 3, 2024, the NSA secured a 10-day court injunction to prevent the release of the findings.

The injunction document stated:

“The Defendant/Respondents, its privies, servants, agents, assigns, and interested parties are hereby restrained from putting out any purported investigative report concerning the Plaintiff/Applicant and its staff until their side of the subject matter of the investigations is heard and included in the said report.”

The NSA management filed the injunction on December 2, 2024, claiming they had not been given the opportunity to provide their response to the allegations.

Public Response

The petition by MFWA underscores the urgency for transparency and accountability within the NSA. The foundation is calling on the Office of the Special Prosecutor to probe the alleged corruption practices and take necessary action to restore public trust in the authority.

Meanwhile, stakeholders and members of the public await further developments as the OSP reviews the petition and the court injunction halts the immediate release of The Fourth Estate’s investigative findings.