Following her arrest by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) on suspicion of payroll fraud while employed by the Authority, Gifty Oware-Mensah, a former Deputy Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), was released on bond.
JoyNews was informed by NIB sources that Oware-Mensah, who is also a member of the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) Executive Council, was released on Saturday following hours of interrogation.
Her bail’s precise conditions are still unknown, though.
Oware-Mensah was arrested after a well-publicized inquiry into allegations of corruption at the NSA, particularly in relation to fraudulent payroll practices that took place during her tenure.
The case has garnered a lot of public interest, and many people are keeping a careful eye on the events surrounding the former NSA official’s role in the controversy.
Due to claims that thousands of fictitious names were used to defraud the state of millions of cedis in allowances, the NIB is looking into her work at the NSS.
The government claims to have discovered 81,885 alleged ghost names in a major inconsistency in the National Service payroll.
This statistic is the discrepancy between the payroll information provided by the National Service Authority’s (NSA) prior management and the actual number of active employees.
Compared to the 180,030 names submitted for allowance payment in 2024, the most recent data shows that there are presently 98,145 active duty personnel.
The statement said, “This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024,”
The 81,885 names that have been marked as possibly exaggerated or false could amount to a significant misappropriation of public monies.
Gifty Oware-Mensah, who was in charge of the NSS’s finances and administration as its deputy executive director, is anticipated to testify as a crucial witness in the current investigations.
The state reportedly lost GH̼50 million every month as a result of the alleged payroll fraud.
The duration of the claimed scam is unknown.
Due to the intense accusations, Kwaku Ohene Djan, a former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority, was recently detained and questioned by the NIB.
Top NSA officials allegedly constructed thousands of fictitious names and accounts under the guise of people serving the country under the program and receiving monthly allowances through this account, which ultimately ends up in their personal pockets, according to the Fourth Estate, which revealed the disclosure.
Source: newsthemegh.com