Gifty Oware-Mensah returns to Ghana to face NIB over NSS exposé

Former Deputy Director of the National Service Authority (NSA) Gifty Oware-Mensah has returned to Ghana amid an ongoing investigation by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB).

Mrs. Oware-Mensah and other former officials are under investigation by the NIB over the alleged use of ghost names on the institution’s payroll to defraud the state of millions of cedis.

Upon her arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), she was not arrested as planned by NIB officials.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who was at the airport with other members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), told the media that she would later report to the NIB with her lawyers.

During his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, February 27, President John Dramani Mahama said he had directed that individuals implicated in the scandal be declared wanted and their assets frozen as part of efforts to hold officials accountable.

The government says it has uncovered a significant discrepancy in the National Service 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 management of the NSA.

According to the latest findings, there are currently 98,145 active service personnel, a stark contrast to the 180,030 names presented for allowance payment in 2024.

Investigations into the scandal have already led to the arrest of several high-ranking officials.

The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) detained Yaw Danso, an accountant at the National Service Authority (NSA).

His arrest follows that of Kwaku Ohene Gyan, the former Deputy Director of Operations at the NSA, who was taken into custody on February 22, 2025.