NSS Cartel Allegedly Stole Over GH¢500m With Gifty Oware-Mensah, Others To Be Charged

• Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine has given an update on the National Service Authority ghosts names scandal noting that over GH¢548 million was lost
• Charges will be filed against 12 suspects in the scandal including former Deputy Director Gifty Oware-Mensah
• The Attorney General said Oware-Mensah allegedly used a total of 9,934 ghost names to misappropriate public funds

Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine has said a criminal network within the National Service Authority (NSA) led to the loss of over GH¢548 million through ghost names on the payroll.

Charges will be filed against 12 suspects, including former Deputy Director Gifty Oware-Mensah, who allegedly masterminded the operation.

As an example, the Attorney General said Oware-Mensah used NSS allowances as collateral to secure a GH¢ 30 million loan from ADB.

He also said she allegedly used a total of 9,934 ghost names to misappropriate public funds.

Oware-Mensah, had been earlier detained by the National Investigations Bureau in March over the scandal after she returned from a trip abroad.

Ayine broke down the sums allegedly stolen by year, noting that in the 2022/2023 service year, for example, GH¢350,926,977.12 was lost.

Speaking at a press briefing on June 13, he said the criminal enterprise included directors, staff, and service providers.

In total, as stated, we lost about 548,333,542.65 to the criminal enterprise perpetrated by these executives, directors, and staff, as well as 5th service providers in the market."

“The criminal enterprise that resulted in the loss of this colossal sum of money involved the creation of ghost names in the NSA payroll system by some directors and staff, which was subsequently exploited to misappropriate state funds for their gain."

About the ghost names scandal

A headcount of National Service Scheme beneficiaries showed 81,885 ghost names on the payroll.

A Fourth Estate investigation also noted thousands of ghost names under the scheme.

This prompted President John Mahama to order the National Investigations Bureau to probe the National Service Authority.

According to the presidency, the scope of the investigations is to cover the period under the Akufo-Addo government.

The National Service Authority previously refuted the allegations of ghost names and payroll fraud.

Other targets in corruption probes

YEN.com.gh reported that the former Public Procurement Authority Board Chairman, Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi was detained by the National Investigative Bureau over an ongoing probe into financial dealings which transpired during his tenure as Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).

Former Minister for Railway Development Joe Ghartey was also invited by the National Intelligence Bureau over the Ghana Sky Train project.

Under Ghartey, Ghana signed a concession agreement with Africa Investment (Ai) Sky Train Consortium in 2019, with an estimated cost of $3 billion.

However, the project never took off, and various concerns were raised about its feasibility and financing. In 2022, the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund disclosed that it had invested $2 million in the project.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh