A sweeping investigation has uncovered a massive corruption scandal within Ghana’s National Service Authority (NSA), resulting in the loss of over GHS 548 million in public funds over a six-year period.
The scandal — described by investigators as a sprawling, highly organized criminal enterprise — implicates top NSA officials and private sector vendors across the country.
This revelation forms part of the Operation Recover-All-Loot (ORAL) initiative launched by President John Dramani Mahama to combat entrenched public sector corruption.
The findings were disclosed at a press briefing by the Attorney General following the receipt of detailed dockets from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
A Program Betrayed
The National Service Programme, established under the 1973 National Service Scheme Decree (NRCD 208) and now governed by the National Service Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1119), was created to promote civic responsibility, national unity, and patriotism among young Ghanaians.
However, the latest investigation reveals that some entrusted with overseeing this patriotic mandate instead orchestrated one of the largest financial scandals in recent Ghanaian history.
Digital Systems, Ghost Names — and GHS 548 Million Lost
In 2022, the NSA introduced a digital system said to have saved GHS 112 million by blocking 14,027 unqualified registrants.
Yet a subsequent audit in August 2024, ordered by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, uncovered 81,885 ghost names on the payroll — exposing the failure of the much-touted system.
Between 2018 and 2024, investigators found a total of GHS 548,333,542.65 had been siphoned from state coffers through fraudulent enrolments and inflated payrolls.
Service Year Amount Lost to Ghost Names
2018/2019 GHS 25,857,836.16
2019/2020 GHS 21,613,962.24
2020/2021 GHS 55,670,584.32
2021/2022 GHS 61,383,025.74
2022/2023 GHS 350,926,977.12
2023/2024 GHS 32,881,157.07
Total GHS 548,333,542.65
Anatomy of the Fraud
The fraud involved:
Deliberate inflation of national service numbers submitted to Parliament for budget allocations.
Creation of ghost names within the payroll system.
Unauthorized payments made to fictitious accounts using Ezwich and other banking systems.
Collaboration between NSA officials and vendors, some of whom shared illicit profits.
An analysis comparing the NSA’s verified service database and payment data from the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS) revealed that while 587,543 personnel were legitimate, 650,165 were paid — pointing to 63,672 ghost names.
The Gifty Oware-Mensah Scheme: Loans, Ghosts & Fake Companies
One of the most brazen schemes was led by Gifty Oware-Mensah, then Acting Executive Director of the NSA. Investigators found that she:
Fraudulently registered a company, Blocks of Life Consult, using other people’s identities without consent.
Secured a GHS 30.7 million loan from Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) using national service allowances as collateral.
Falsely claimed her company supplied goods to personnel and used 9,934 ghost names to obtain payment.
Laundered funds through multiple companies, including her own (AMEACOM) and others such as Scafold, OTCHEY, and Aristo Logistics & Trading.
Over GHS 22.9 million was transferred to AMEACOM alone.
High-Level Complicity
The fraud could not have succeeded without the collusion of senior officials. According to the Attorney General, payroll data and fund transfers were approved by:
Mustapha Yussif (Executive Director, 2017–2021)
Gifty Oware-Mensah (Acting Director, 2021)
Osei Assibey Antwi (Director General, 2021–2025)
Other key enablers included:
Eric Nyarko – Head of Accounts (2017–2024)
Iddrisu Ibn Abu-Bakr – Head of Accounts (2024)
Abraham Gaisie – Head of Deployment
Albert Oteng Owusu – Internal Auditor
Investigators even uncovered GHS 8.2 million deposited into an Ezwich card registered in the name of Osei Assibey, discovered during a search of his residence.
Vendors Under Scrutiny
Numerous vendors are alleged to have received vast sums with no proof of legitimate services rendered. These include:
Rose Hamilton (Marine Ventures) – GHS 50.7 million
Haruna Mawulaya (Al-Fayda Ventures) – GHS 21.3 million
Isaac Asamani (Option Buy Ventures) – GHS 11.4 million
Sylvia Opare (Sylsona Ventures) – GHS 10.7 million
Charles Ohemeng (CH OHEC Ventures) – GHS 14.2 million
Others – With cumulative payouts in the tens of millions of cedis
None provided sufficient documentation to justify the payments.
Criminal Charges & Prosecution
A total of 12 former NSA officials and several vendors are to face prosecution. Charges to be filed include:
Stealing – Section 124(1), Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)
Conspiracy to Steal – Sections 23(1) & 124(1), Act 29
Willfully Causing Financial Loss to the State – Section 179A(3)(a), Act 29
Using Public Office for Profit – Section 179C(a), Act 29
False Statements to Obtain Public Property – SMCD 140
Money Laundering – Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering – Section 3, Act 1044
Some vendors have agreed to Non-Prosecution Agreements (NPAs) in exchange for their cooperation as prosecution witnesses.
Asset Recovery Underway
As part of the ORAL initiative, the Attorney General has ordered a comprehensive asset investigation into all suspects.
Authorities are committed to recovering stolen funds and any property acquired with them.
“Let me assure the nation that no one is above the law.
The public purse must be protected — and the integrity of our National Service Scheme restored,” the Attorney General concluded.
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