Mahama’s Directive On Ghost Names Refreshing, But Useless Without Recovering Stolen Funds – ILAPI Boss
Peter Bismark Kwofie, Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), has stated that President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for an investigation into the alleged over 81,000 ghost names found on the National Service Authority’s payroll is refreshing but not the solution to the authority’s problems.
The policy analyst described the ghost names on our payroll as a national canker, arguing that dealing with the problem will require more than a presidential directive.
In an interview with Rainbowradioonline.com, he stated that the ghost name issue is a goldmine that benefits many people, including politicians.
He lamented that over Ghc100 million are lost annually through ghost names and end up in the pockets of greedy and corrupt officials, and such money is not recovered, and the exercise becomes wasteful.
As part of his recommendations, he proposes recovering the funds paid under the ghost names and possibly prosecuting those involved.
He stated that it would be wasteful if the country was unable to recover all of the funds stolen under the ghost names.
Mr. Kwofie said, “The fight against ghost names on the public payroll is an endless one. It is a well-organized economic scheme that goes beyond a mere investigation. It is a complex process and often has little to no measurable impact. The president’s directive to investigate over 81,000 ghost names is refreshing but not the ultimate solution to ending this canker at the National Service Authority and other state institutions. It is a gold mine that enriches many people, including politicians themselves.
Over GH₵100 million is lost annually through ghost names, lining the pockets of individuals. Such funds are often not recovered, making the exercise wasteful. Moreover, the process is usually focused on cleaning the data system or identifying the total number of ghost names. In this case, the ghost names have been identified, and the next step should be to clean the payroll and prosecute where necessary. However, prosecution without the recovery of stolen funds is even more wasteful. This time, the outcomes of the investigation should be measurable to reduce the number of ghost names and strengthen our fight against corruption.”
Credit: rainbowradioonline.com
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