National Service Rot: Culprits Will Be Punished - Ablakwa

Deputy Minister of Education Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa has said persons found guilty at the latest fraud at the National Service Secretariat (NSS) will be penalized by the state. He described the GH�7.9 million fraudulent case as �disturbing� and an attempt to blemish the government image even though the president is willing, determined and able to fight corruption. In an interview on Joy FM, Hon. Ablakwa stated that the entire National Service Secretariat is now under investigation by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). He explained that the reason is to make sure that such canker does not reoccur at the secretariat in future. �This is very disturbing. We will do everything to bring those found guilty to book. Nobody will be spared. The entire National Service Secretariat is under investigation. We will make sure this does not reoccur� he promised The BNI have uncovered a GH�7.9 million deep-rooted rot at the NSS. The sum represents the allowance paid to 22,612 non-existent service persons (Ghost names) in more than 100 districts across the country in the month of July only. Currently, per a service person, GH�350 is paid monthly as allowance, that meant, at least GH�7,914,200 was lost to the state every month to ghosts. It also emerged that some prominent officials of the NSS paid GH�200,000 plus tubers of yam, laptops and goats to BNI detectives to conceal the rot. As to whether the NSS Boss, Alhaji Alhassan Imoro will be dismissed from his post, Hon. Ablakwa said �We will decide today if the NSS director should be relieved of his position.�