Former NSA Deputy Director Gifty Oware-Mensah Released By NIB

Gifty Oware-Mensah, a former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA) and a current Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has been detained by the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) in connection with an alleged payroll fraud scandal.

Her arrest on Friday, March 7, 2025, is part of an ongoing investigation into a ghost-name scheme that has rocked the NSA and drawn national attention.

The scandal was first uncovered by an exposé by The Fourth Estate, revealing fraudulent activities within the agency’s payroll system.

Despite multiple efforts to secure her bail, Oware-Mensah remains in detention, with reports suggesting that she has since been moved from the NIB premises to an undisclosed location.

It has been alleged that former NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, attempted to intervene to facilitate Oware-Mensah’s release, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

The case has drawn attention from the highest levels of government. In his first State of the Nation Address, President John Dramani Mahama directed law enforcement agencies to take decisive action against individuals implicated in the payroll fraud. The President further ordered the freezing of assets belonging to some suspects who are believed to have fled the country, preventing them from benefiting from any alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Legal concerns over detention

Meanwhile, renowned legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has warned that the NIB must follow constitutional requirements regarding Oware-Mensah’s detention. He emphasized that under Ghanaian law, a suspect must be either released or brought before a court within 48 hours of arrest.

Speaking on TV3’s “Key Points” on Saturday, March 8, Kpebu expressed concern over her prolonged detention and indicated his willingness to represent Oware-Mensah if her rights were violated.

“If the NIB breaches the 48-hour rule, I will be happy to represent Gifty Oware. As citizens, we must all jump in because we don’t know what could happen tomorrow,” Kpebu said.

He also pointed out that Oware-Mensah had recently returned from abroad on March 5, 2025, following the 2024 elections, dismissing any suggestion that she was trying to evade justice.

“The fact that I want her to face justice doesn’t mean we should keep her beyond 48 hours. No, let’s not do that. It’s not worth it. She voluntarily returned to the country. If she intended to abscond, she wouldn’t have come back. So once she is here, let’s follow due process,” he added.

 

 

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