NSA scandal: Gifty Oware-Mensah granted bail
A 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.
Her arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement at the NSS, particularly concerning fraudulent payroll activities during her time in office.
Background
The NIB is probing her tenure at the NSS amid allegations that thousands of ghost names were used to siphon millions of cedis in allowances.
The government recently uncovered a significant discrepancy in the NSS payroll, revealing 81,885 suspected ghost names. 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, a stark contrast to the 180,030 names presented for allowance payments in 2024.
“This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024,” a government statement read.
The suspected fraudulent names could indicate a major misuse of public funds, with reports suggesting the scheme cost the state approximately GH₵50 million monthly. The 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 ongoing investigations.
Additionally, former Deputy Executive Director Kwaku Ohene Djan was recently detained and questioned over similar allegations.
Reports indicate that top NSS officials allegedly created thousands of ghost names and accounts, which were used to divert funds meant for service personnel into private pockets.
The investigation is ongoing.
