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Ghana has reportedly lost over GHC 548 million through a large-scale fraud scheme uncovered within the National Service Authority (NSA), according to Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, Dr. Ayine confirmed that a full docket on the scandal, compiled by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and his office, has been completed and 12 individuals will face prosecution. Among the accused is former Deputy Director of the NSA, Gifty Oware-Mensah, who is alleged to have played a leading role in the fraudulent operation.
The Attorney-General explained that the criminal network involved the creation and use of ghost names, fake individuals added to the NSA payroll, through which public funds were siphoned off.
“Ghana lost over GHC 548 million through a criminal enterprise operating at the National Service Authority,” Dr. Ayine stated. “Monies approved by Parliament for service projects were diverted into private accounts after being deposited into ADB Bank.”
One of the most alarming revelations was that Gifty Oware-Mensah allegedly used 9,934 ghost names to divert allowances and later used the inflated payroll data to secure a loan of over GHC 30 million at a 23 percent interest rate from ADB Bank. The loan was obtained under the name of a company, Blocks of Life Consult, co-directed by her husband, a practicing lawyer.
The docket also reveals that earlier investigations by state security agencies had uncovered 81,885 suspicious names on the NSS payroll, a red flag that was initially detected during an audit ordered by President John Mahama in February 2025. This prompted a full investigation that has since led to the detention of several high-ranking NSA officials, including former Director-General Osei Assibey Antwi and other senior deputies.
The suspects are expected to be charged with offenses including stealing, money laundering, conspiracy to commit fraud, and obtaining public funds by false pretenses.
