FORMER NSA BOSS OSEI ASSIBEY ANTWI PICKED UP BY NIB OVER PAYROLL FRAUD SCANDAL

Osei Assibey Antwi, the former Director General of the National Service Authority (NSA), has been reportedly arrested by operatives of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for questioning. The arrest, which took place at his home this morning, is believed to be connected to the ongoing investigation into the payroll fraud scandal that rocked the National Service Scheme (NSS).

GhanaWeb sources confirm that Antwi is currently in custody, making him the latest high-profile figure to be apprehended in connection with the scandal. The investigation, initiated by President John Dramani Mahama, focuses on discovering approximately 81,885 suspected ghost names on the National Service payroll.

Background of the Scandal

The payroll fraud came to light following a headcount of active National Service personnel, conducted at the request of the Minister for Finance. The exercise was a prerequisite for clearing allowance arrears dating back to August 2024. The discrepancies revealed during the headcount exposed significant irregularities, prompting President Mahama to order a thorough investigation into the operations of the NSA under the previous administration.

Osei Assibey Antwi’s Role

Osei Assibey Antwi served as the interim Executive Director of the NSS from September 2021, following his appointment by former President Nana Akufo-Addo. Prior to that, he was the Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) from 2017 to 2021 and had previously acted as the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister from 2006 to January 2009.

His arrest marks a significant development in the investigation, as he is the highest-ranking official from the NSA to be taken into custody so far.

Previous Arrests

Antwi’s arrest follows the recent invitations of two other former NSA officials:

• Gifty Oware-Mensah, former Deputy Director of the National Service Authority.
• Kwaku Ohene Gyan, former Deputy Director in charge of Operations at the NSA.

Both individuals were questioned by the NIB in connection with the payroll fraud scandal, which has raised serious concerns about financial mismanagement and accountability within the NSA.

Source:NKONKONSA.com