The National Service Authority (NSA) has reduced its annual payroll from approximately GH₵1.6 billion to around GH₵700 million by tightening its verification systems to eliminate ghost names.
Deputy Director General of Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Moses Dok Nach Kpeungu, shared the figures on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, stating that the significant cut demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing reforms. “Previously, the government’s payroll was about 1.5 to 1.6 billion every year. As of last year, we paid barely about 700 million Ghanaian cedis,” he explained.
He clarified that the savings came not from reducing the number of posted personnel, but from strengthening controls on monthly allowance processing. Under the new system, each service person’s monthly evaluation requires a supervisor’s endorsement, followed by verification at the district level, an internal audit review, regional director clearance, and reconciliation by NSA head office accountants before final approval through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.
While acknowledging the process is detailed with multiple checks, Lt. Col. Kpeungu insisted it is fully digital and has not caused significant payment delays. The NSA currently owes personnel only one month’s allowance (March), which he called manageable. With nearly 99,500 personnel deployed nationwide, monthly allowances total about GH₵50 million, or roughly GH₵600 million annually.
