Corruption at the National Service Authority (NSA) has taken a staggering turn, with an audit revealing that more than 1,000 babies, some less than a year old, were listed on its payroll, draining resources meant for actual service personnel.

The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, acting on the orders of President Mahama, abruptly suspended the NSA’s Central Management System (CMS) on June 18 over integrity concerns, stalling this year’s national service postings.

“If the system were foolproof, we wouldn’t have had children under one year without a Ghana Card being on our payroll,” Acting Executive Director Ruth Dela Seddoh explained. “We had almost 1,000 kids under one year on our payroll, on our system.”

The official further revealed systemic failures: “But we were thinking that if the system were to be foolproof, the system would have detected that these people were minors. Because it is done, and it can be done. To the extent that the system can determine that these ones are below the age of 18, but that was not done.”

The audit also exposed that about 3,000 individuals over the age of 80 were receiving monthly allowances, even though the official exit years is 40.

“Meanwhile, the exit years for everybody is 40 years. So how come people above 40 years were found under the system?” she questioned.

Amid the revelations, the NSA has assured prospective service personnel that postings will be released on November 1, 2025.

“The transition team has been put in place and the framework for the new system has been set up… I can assure any prospective personnel to calm down, as by November 1, the posting will be done,” Acting Executive Director Ruth Dela Seddoh told JoyNews.

The scandal has triggered administrative shake-ups at the Authority, including the reassignment of former acting Director Felix Gyamfi to the Ministry of Finance.

With reforms underway, the NSA is now working to ensure future payrolls and postings are accurate, transparent, and free from discrepancies.