The former Deputy Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA) in charge of Finance and Procurement, Gifty Oware-Mensah, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges filed against her by the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice in connection with an alleged GH¢38 million “ghost names” scandal.
Appearing before the Accra High Court earlier this week, Oware-Mensah faced five counts, including stealing, willfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, and money laundering.
She denied all charges and was subsequently granted GH¢10 million bail with three sureties, one of whom must be justified.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences took place between February 2022 and 2023, during which Oware-Mensah allegedly used her private company, Blocks of Life Consult, to facilitate payments for non-existent national service personnel, commonly referred to as “ghost names.”
The transactions, prosecutors say, led to a financial loss of GH¢38,458,248.87 to the state.Investigators claim that funds meant for legitimate service personnel were diverted through her company’s bank accounts under the pretext of supplying goods and services to the National Service Authority. However, no records or evidence of such supplies were found.
The case forms part of a broader investigation into alleged irregularities at the NSA, which has reportedly cost the state more than GH¢650 million in similar fraudulent schemes.
During proceedings, Oware-Mensah’s legal team maintained that she is innocent, insisting that the allegations are unfounded and politically motivated. Her lawyers further argued that she had no control over the alleged transactions and called on the prosecution to provide full disclosure of evidence.
The presiding judge, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, granted bail after considering the arguments from both sides and ordered that Oware-Mensah deposit her passport with the court.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for case management and pre-trial hearings.Meanwhile, the National Service Authority has come under intense public scrutiny, with civil society groups and anti-corruption campaigners calling for enhanced oversight, stronger payroll verification systems, and periodic auditing of the Authority’s financial operations to prevent future irregularities.
If convicted, Gifty Oware-Mensah could face a lengthy prison term, heavy fines, and restitution of the misappropriated funds under Ghana’s financial crime laws.
