Rot at NSS: Banks should also be investigated - GII

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has called for an extension of investigation to banks where payment of national service allowances for the so-called ghosts were made.

“Some of the bank officials are aware of these things and they connived with the officials involved.”

Last week, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) uncovered financial misappropriation to the tune of GH¢7.9 million at the National Service Scheme (NSS).

The discovery led to the suspension of the Executive Director of the Scheme, Alhaji Alhassan Imoro, and other officials, whom among their ills, enticed BNI officers with bribes.

The suspended NSS officials are currently under further investigations.

But the Executive Director of GII says the investigation should go beyond the Scheme.

“Investigation should go beyond just the public officials that are involved to the bank officials who connived with them,” Vitus Azeem said on TV3’s News 360 on Tuesday.

According to him, the issue is systemic as people get names onto payrolls, get monies paid to the names at banks “and [the monies] get siphoned into private pockets”.

Mr Azeem said the buck stops at politicians, who patronize the canker.

He, therefore, called for strong leaders, who can stand against the canker.

"We don't have such leaders. That is the problem."