A former Deputy Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, has been arrested by the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) over her alleged involvement in the massive payroll fraud scheme at the authority.
The scandal, which has sparked nationwide outrage, involves the creation of “ghost names” on the payroll, leading to significant financial losses.
Gifty Oware-Mensah, also a prominent Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), was taken into custody on Friday, 7th March 2025, and remains detained despite efforts by her legal team to secure her release.
Reports suggest that former NPP General Secretary John Boadu attempted to intervene on her behalf, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
She was subsequently moved from the NIB headquarters to an undisclosed location, raising further questions about the severity of the allegations.
NSA payroll fraud
The scandal was first exposed by the Fourth Estate, which revealed widespread corruption within the national service payroll system.
In his first State of the Nation Address, President John Dramani Mahama ordered law enforcement agencies to take swift and decisive action against those involved.
This directive has led to a wave of arrests, with some suspects reportedly fleeing the country to evade prosecution. In response, President Mahama has ordered the freezing of assets belonging to individuals linked to the fraud.
Before her arrest, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin had claimed that Oware-Mensah was ready to cooperate with investigators.
However, her detention suggests that authorities are treating her case with heightened seriousness.
Gifty Oware-Mensah had only recently returned to Ghana on 5th March 2025, after spending time abroad following the 2024 elections.