NSS Ghost Names Saga: Hearing Adjourned After Gifty Oware-Mensah Submits Medical Excuse
- The High Court in Accra has adjourned the NSS ghost names scandal trial involving former Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah
- Her lawyers submitted a two-day medical excuse, leading to the postponement of her appearance scheduled for October 17, 2025
- Oware-Mensah faces charges of corruption in connection with the scandal, which caused significant financial losses to the state
The High Court in Accra has adjourned the National Service Scheme (NSS) ghost names scandal trial involving Gifty Oware-Mensah, a former Deputy Executive Director at the agency.
This comes after her lawyers submitted a two-day medical excuse to the court, pleading for an adjournment.
Source: Facebook
The former NSS Deputy Director was expected to appear in court on Friday, October 17, 2025, to respond to charges of corruption filed against her by the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine.
However, during the hearing of the case, Gifty Oware-Mensah's lawyers informed the court that she was unable to attend the hearing due to medical reasons, submitting a two-day medical excuse.
The presiding judge consequently adjourned the case to a later date, allowing Oware-Mensah to recover and attend to her health issues.
Oware-Mensah is facing charges related to the NSS ghost names scandal, which has led to significant financial losses for the state.
The scandal involves the alleged creation of thousands of ghost names on the NSS payroll, with millions of cedis allegedly stolen from the public purse.
Read the Facebook post below:
The charges against Gifty Oware-Mensah
On Monday, October 13, 2025, Gifty Oware-Mensah, was arraigned before the High Court in Accra on multiple charges in the NSS ghost names scandal.
The charges include stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and abuse of public office.
Oware-Mensah allegedly misappropriated GH¢38,458,248.87 between February 2022 and March 2024 while overseeing finance, audit, and procurement at the NSS.
She was alleged to have dishonestly transferred GH¢31.5 million from a loan facility meant to support National Service Personnel into the account of her private company, Blocks of Life Consult, under the pretext of supplying goods on a hire-purchase basis.
Reactions to Gifty Oware-Mensah's case adjournment
Ghanaians on social media have reacted to the adjournment of Gifty Oware-Mensah's case by the High Court.
YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the reactions below:
@Wilson Ohmzy Seyram Ameamu said:
"The judiciary must also have a hospital just like the police and the military. The prisons must also have their hospitals."
@Francis Lyds Domi also said:
"This was how they tricked saaaa Ken Ofori-Atta run away."
@Dutor Doe Attifufu commented:
"Sometimes in life, sickness is seen as a Godsent saviour."
Source: Facebook
Charges filed against former NSS boss
The former Executive Director of the National Service Authority, Osei Assibey Antwi, was also charged with 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the Republic, stealing, and money laundering, in a case involving more than GH¢600 million.
According to a charge sheet filed at the High Court in Accra, Mr Antwi was accused of authorising payments to over 60,000 non-existent national service personnel and misappropriating public funds during his tenure between August 2021 and February 2025.
Antwi was charged with multiple 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).
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
