Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has uncovered a massive corruption scandal at the National Service Authority (NSA), involving the theft of over GH¢548 million through ghost names and payroll fraud between 2018 and 2024.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, Dr. Ayine stated that investigations conducted by the National Intelligence Bureau and supervised by his office revealed that more than 63,000 ghost names were inserted into the payroll system, resulting in the illegal disbursement of public funds.
He explained that the scheme involved top officials at the NSA collaborating with private vendors and financial institutions to inflate payroll figures and divert funds. One of the prime suspects, Gifty Oware-Mensah, a former Acting Executive Director of the NSA, used nearly 10,000 fake names to secure a GH¢30.6 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) through a shell company, Blocks of Life Consult.
“This is not mere financial mismanagement — it is organized crime against the state,” Dr. Ayine said. “We are committed to prosecuting every individual and recovering every pesewa.”
A total of 12 former NSA officials and 11 private vendors will face charges including stealing, conspiracy to steal, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and abuse of office.
Dr. Ayine assured the public that no one involved will be shielded, adding that efforts are underway to freeze assets and recover stolen funds.
