Former NSA Directors Charged in Massive GH¢653 Million Ghost Names Fraud Scandal
The Office of the Attorney-General has formally charged two former top officials of the National Service Authority (NSA) Osei Assibey Antwi and Gifty Oware-Mensah with orchestrating elaborate fraud schemes that allegedly siphoned over GH¢653 million from public funds through ghost personnel and bogus loans, as revealed in court documents filed at the Accra High Court on October 13, 2025.
Osei Assibey Antwi, former Executive Director (2021–2025), faces 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the Republic (over GH¢500 million via 60,000+ ghost national service personnel), stealing GH¢8 million, and money laundering GH¢106 million from the NSA’s Kumawu Farm Project account without execution.
The total loss attributed to him exceeds GH¢615 million, with funds allegedly laundered through personal accounts and unauthorized withdrawals.
Gifty Oware-Mensah, former Deputy Executive Director and current Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member, faces five counts for willfully causing GH¢38 million in financial loss through a fraudulent GH¢30.6 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
Prosecutors allege she generated 9,934 ghost names via the NSA Central Management System to secure the loan at 23% interest, funneling GH¢22 million to her co-owned company, Blocks of Life Consult, without supplying goods.
The scheme involved vendors like Franlisa Ventures and Alfayda Enterprise, with no deliveries made.
The charges, under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), include causing financial loss, stealing, using public office for profit, and money laundering.
Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine, announcing the charges on June 13, 2025, described it as a “criminal enterprise” uncovered by The Fourth Estate, involving 12 officials and eight vendors.
The scandal, exposed in 2024, involved payroll fraud from 2017-2025, with payments to fictitious personnel approved by directors like Mustapha Ussif and Assibey Antwi.
Oware-Mensah’s loan scheme used 9,934 ghost names as collateral, with no goods supplied, accruing GH¢38 million in losses including interest. Funds were transferred to her husband’s account and vendors like Franlisa Ventures.
The charges, filed separately at the High Court, include stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine, announcing on June 13, 2025, called it a “criminal enterprise” exposed by The Fourth Estate, involving 12 officials and eight vendors from 2017-2025.
Former Executive Director Mustapha Ussif is among those facing prosecution.
