The Accra High Court has granted bail of GH¢10 million to former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, following her appearance in court on Wednesday, October 22.
She faces five charges, including willfully causing financial loss to the state, stealing, money laundering, and using public office for personal gain. The charges stem from allegations of financial misconduct during her tenure at the NSA.
The case is linked to a nationwide verification exercise that uncovered widespread payroll irregularities. An initial audit revealed that while over 180,000 individuals were listed on the National Service payroll, only about 98,000 were verified as legitimate personnel. The remaining names were allegedly “ghost names,” resulting in an estimated loss of GH¢653 million to the state.
However, the Attorney-General’s office has since disclosed that a forensic audit conducted by the Auditor-General places the actual financial loss at GH¢2.2 billion significantly higher than earlier estimates. The charge sheet is expected to be amended to reflect this updated figure as investigations progress.
The case has drawn significant public interest, being described as one of the largest financial scandals in the history of the National Service scheme. Court proceedings are set to continue in the coming weeks. According to the Attorney-General’s office, the prosecution remains committed to ensuring accountability and recovering lost public funds.
