NSA refuses to release recent postings and funding data despite RTI request – MFWA

The Programme Manager for the Independent Journalism Project at the Media Foundation for West Africa, Kwaku Krobea Asante, has disclosed that the National Service Authority (NSA) declined to provide information concerning the number of graduates posted for national service and the total funds involved in the programme.

Mr. Asante made the revelation while speaking on the corruption accountability segment of Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, May 13.

According to him, the request for information was made in the aftermath of the widely discussed 2024 NSA ghost names scandal exposé, which triggered increased public scrutiny over the operations, transparency and financial accountability of the National Service Authority.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the request, Mr. Asante stated that investigative journalists sought detailed records showing the number of graduates posted for national service over a specific period as part of efforts to verify public expenditure and improve accountability.

“The current one we are dealing with is the National Service Authority. When we were working on the ghost names scandal, we wrote to them to give us access to some specific information,” he said.

“In fact, the data we requested was simply a breakdown of how many people had been posted over the period, but they did not provide that information,” he added.

Mr. Asante explained that following the NSA’s refusal to release the requested records, the matter was referred to the Right to Information Commission under Ghana’s Right to Information Law.

Despite the Commission’s intervention, he claimed that the Authority had still not complied with the request as of last year.

He further revealed that the RTI Commission imposed a GH¢50,000 fine on the National Service Authority over its failure to comply with the disclosure request.

According to Mr. Asante, the Commission recently recalculated the amount together with accumulated interest, increasing the total financial penalty to approximately GH¢159,000.

“The Commission made a determination of GH¢50,000 last year around March 2025, and in the last two months, the Commission recalculated the amount with interest, bringing it to about GH¢159,000,” he stated.

The latest allegations have reignited concerns over transparency, access to public information and accountability within state institutions, particularly following the ghost names scandal that drew national attention to possible irregularities within the National Service Scheme.

The controversy also highlights ongoing challenges in the implementation and enforcement of Ghana’s Right to Information framework, especially regarding access to public financial and administrative records.

Observers say the issue raises important questions about institutional compliance with transparency laws and the willingness of public agencies to provide information of significant public interest.