…Laptops with source code stolen in East Legon break-in; Amid Minister’s announcement
Another twist has emerged in the ongoing controversy surrounding Inpath Technologies Limited, the digital platform developed for the National Service Authority (NSA) to post and monitor service personnel.
On Monday night, just hours after the sudden removal of NSA boss, Felix Gyamfi by the Office of the President, suspected thieves broke into the Toyota Prado belonging to Samuel Korley, a key developer of the Inpath system.
The incident, which unfolded while Mr Korley was dining at The Thai Restaurant in East Legon, has raised suspicions of a targeted operation rather than a routine burglary.
The intruders made off with two laptops and an iPad – devices believed to contain sensitive source code linked to the platform. Reports suggest these included biometric features, mechanisms for eliminating ghost names, and an allegedly powerful “delete button” for removing unwanted service personnel.
Curiously, other valuables in the vehicle were left untouched, suggesting the burglars had very specific instructions.
Sources close to Inpath suspect the devices may have been stolen by individuals seeking to replicate the platform and resell it to the NSA on a commercial basis.
Tracking data showed the stolen items moving from East Legon to Korle-Bu, then Ashaiman, before surfacing the following day at Pokuase and later returning to East Legon. Insiders claim there have already been attempts to access the system, with developers offered substantial sums – reportedly up to GH¢5 million. At one stage, the platform was valued at $2 million.
Confirming the incident to The Herald, Mr Korley, said he had reported the matter to the East Legon Police and was cooperating with an assigned investigator.
He declined to provide further details, adding only that he trusted the police would “do a professional job.”
Investigators initially traced the stolen equipment close to the Korle-Bu Police Station, but by the time officers were ready to move in, the devices had already been relocated, heading towards Ashaiman along the Tema Motorway.
The break-in comes amid turbulence at the NSA, where Mr Gyamfi was recently reassigned to the Ministry of Finance to head a newly created office. The shake-up followed President John Mahama’s suspension of the Authority’s Central Management System (CMS) in June, pending forensic and technical audits.
The Inpath platform has long been a subject of controversy. It reportedly deleted 86,000 ghost names from the service payroll, yet while only 100 accredited tertiary institutions are recognised on the system, records at one point reflected 175 institutions feeding personnel into the scheme – a discrepancy that has fuelled further questions.
Meanwhile, Youth Development and Empowerment Minister, George Opare Addo, has confirmed that a new digital platform is being procured for service postings in the 2025/2026 year.
In an interview with TV3 on Tuesday, September 9, the minister, a lawyer by profession, declined to name the company behind the new system, explain the procurement process, or disclose costs.
He argued that the existing platform had been abandoned because of irregularities, though this assertion runs counter to findings by the Auditor-General, the National Bureau of Investigations (NIB), KPMG, and the National Identification Authority (NIA), all of which have blamed corrupt officers for inserting thousands of ghost names into the payroll.
“We have not done much with respect to postings this year because just when the app was opened, His Excellency instructed that we should suspend it and do some further investigations. As I speak, the app is still closed. We are in the process of procuring a new platform for posting to be done on. So, we are yet to do anything significant in that respect,” he said.
Mr Opare Addo urged graduates to remain calm: “I will urge the students to be a little more patient. We want to assure them that their service is not going to be disrupted. The Board and Management are working to ensure that the new app is deployed. If it must be done, it must be done well. They will do their service this year.”
Acting Executive Director of the NSA, Ruth Dela Seddoh, also told JoyNews on 9 September that postings would be released by 1 November 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,” she said.
The suspension of the CMS in June left over 150,000 potential service recruits anxious and uncertain. President Mahama’s order for its indefinite suspension was intended to ensure a thorough technical and forensic review. Since then, administrative reshuffles have continued, prompting questions about whether the Presidency is fully apprised of investigative reports from security agencies.
For now, the East Legon burglary adds a new layer to the intrigue – with suspicions growing that powerful interests may be battling for control of one of the NSA’s most valuable digital assets.
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