Auditor-General Proposes Sweeping Reforms at the NSA Following GH¢2.45 Billion Irregularities

The Auditor General has proposed five key recommendations at the National Service Authority (NSA) after uncovering a GH¢2.45 billion in financial irregularities to restore integrity and accountability to the scheme.

This follows the conclusion of the Technical and Forensic Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the CSMP & Metric App of the National Service Authority which was carried out between the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December, 2024 in accordance with section 16 of the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584).

The extensive report revealed that although the scheme had a fraud-prevention system, Central Service Management Portal (CSMP) in place, officials deliberately bypassed controls; making unauthorized payments, manipulating payroll and caused significant loss of public funds.

The CSMP is the NSA’s integrated digital platform used to manage the end-to-end processes of enrolment, posting, evaluation/validations, and payroll of National Service Personnel (NSPs).

The five key recommendations outlined by the AG aim to tighten oversight, improve transparency, and close loopholes, while also restoring integrity and accountability to the the National Service Scheme.

The recommendations include:

1. Shut the Door to Private Enrolments & Manual Uploads – Cancel all private/ manual enrolments; enforce only approved CSMP channels.
2. Enforce “No Biometric Verification, No Posting” Policy – Require valid Ghana Card and biometric validation before posting.
3. Avoid Out-of-System Processes – Discontinue manual overrides; enforce all postings and validations through the CSMP only.
4. Strengthen System-Based Controls – Forbid manual processes, restrict overrides to exceptional cases, enforce audit trails, and implement automated alerts for suspicious postings.
5. Payroll Management by CAGD – Transfer payroll management to the Controller & Accountant-General’s Department.

Read the full report here: https://audit.gov.gh/files/audit_reports/Technical_And_Forensic_Audit_Report_Of_The_Auditor-General_On_The_Csmp_&_Metric_App_Of_The_National_Service_Authority.pdf

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