Mr Osei, Gifty Oware Charged Over Alleged GH₵653m ‘NSA Ghost Names’ And Loan Fraud

Ghana’s Attorney-General has filed criminal charges against two former National Service Authority (NSA) leaders: ex-Executive Director Osei Assibey Antwi and ex-Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah over an alleged multi-year scheme involving “ghost” service personnel and also, a fraudulent bank loan that prosecutors say cost the state about GH₵653 million. More details about this NSA Ghost Names and loan fraud are as follows.

After President Mahama’s administration took over, investigations into “ghost names” within national service payrolls intensified. This was backed by watchdog reporting and government probes earlier in 2025.

At the time, officials spoke of GH₵548m in suspected losses and signaled prosecutions against multiple former officials.

The latest charge sheets provide higher, itemised totals that include additional alleged transactions and interest. The breakdown has been provided by GhanaView News below:

Details and Evidence Alleged By The State

Charges Against Osei Assibey Antwi NSA Ghost Names

Mr. Assibey Antwi is facing several counts under sections 179A (1) and 124 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and section 1(2)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044). The charges against him are 14 counts, and they are:

• Willfully causing financial loss by authorising allowances to over 60,000 “ghost” personnel between August 2021 to Feb 2025 (GH₵500,861,744.02).
• Multiple stealing counts between August 2023 to May 2024; individual sums include GH₵3.6m (Aug 22, 2023), GH₵516k (Sept 11, Oct 26, Nov 23, 2023), GH₵1.03m (Dec 18, 2023), and GH₵2.06m (May 14, 2024).
• Kumawu Farm Project withdrawals; GH₵55m (Sept 30, 2022), GH₵15m (Oct 20, 2023), GH₵4m (Jan 24, 2024) allegedly without project spend.
• Transfers totaling GH₵8.26m from an NSA control account to a personal e-zwich account with card account (No. 1177042059), forming the basis of a money-laundering charge.

Therefore, the total alleged value of offences attributed to him is roughly GH₵615.1m.

Charges Against Gifty Oware – Mensah

The charges against Gifty Oware – Mensah are 5 counts, and they are:

• She controlled a private company (Blocks of Life Consult) and generated 9,934 “ghost” names through the NSA system.
• She allegedly secured an ADB loan using those non-existent allowances as collateral; GH₵31.5m was paid to her company and later routed to another firm where she was a director.

Therefore, with interest, the alleged loss on her side is GH₵38,458,248.87.

Summary: Breakdown Of Alleged GH₵653m NSA ‘ghost names’ and Loan Fraud

• The charge sheets filed at the Accra High Court outline 14 counts against Osei Assibey and 5 counts against Gifty Oware-Mensah.
• According to prosecutors, over 60,000 non-existent service personnel were paid allowances, causing a loss of GH₵500,861,744.02.
• Also, separate counts cite withdrawals and transfers tied to the Kumawu Farm Project and a personal e-zwich account, plus alleged money laundering.
• Moreover, a linked loan scheme tied to the NSA “marketplace” allegedly moved GH₵31.5m into a private firm, with GH₵38,458,248.87 in losses when interest is included.
• Consequently, the combined value of the alleged offences roughly GH₵653m.