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Former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Gifty Oware-Mensah, has been granted bail following her detention by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) over allegations of payroll fraud during her tenure.
Sources at the NIB confirmed to JoyNews that Oware-Mensah, who is also an Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), was released on Saturday after hours of questioning. However, the specific terms of her bail remain undisclosed.
Oware-Mensah’s arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement at the NSS, particularly fraudulent payroll activities during her time in office.
The government recently uncovered a major payroll discrepancy, revealing 81,885 suspected ghost names on the NSS payroll. This figure represents the difference between the actual number of active personnel and the payroll data submitted by the previous NSS management.
According to findings, there are currently 98,145 active service personnel, yet 180,030 names were presented for allowance payments in 2024, indicating a massive payroll inflation.
A government statement noted:
“This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024.”
Reports suggest this scheme may have cost the state approximately GH₵50 million per month in fraudulent payments, though the full duration of the alleged fraud remains unclear.
As the former Deputy Executive Director in charge of administration and finance, Oware-Mensah is expected to be a key figure in the investigation. Additionally, former Deputy Executive Director Kwaku Ohene Djan was recently detained and questioned over similar allegations.
Authorities suspect top NSS officials created thousands of ghost names and accounts to divert funds meant for service personnel into private pockets.
Gifty Oware-Mensah Detained Over NSA Payroll Fraud Investigation
