By Gifty Boateng
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has as part of government’s quest to promote transparency and accountability, has updated the public on ongoing investigations concerning the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL).
ORAL is a major campaign promise by the John Mahama government, to retrieve funds and assets of the state, illegally acquired by former appointees of government.
Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced it is set to haul some 12 former officials of the National Service Authority (NSA), under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government, to the court for their involvement in ghost name fraud among others.
Their charges comprise stealing, conspiracy to steal, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and others.
Investigations against the officials including two former Executive Directors Mustapha Ussif, a former Minister for Youth and Sports, his successor, former Executive Director Osei Assibey Antwi, have been concluded and will formerly be charged.
At a press conference on Friday June 13, 2025, the A-G listed the aforementioned names together with 10 others including a former Deputy Director General
Gifty Oware-Mensah, former Deputy Executive Director
Kweku Ohene Gyan, and former Deputy Executive Director for Operations.
Abraham Bismark Gaisie.
Others are former Head of Deployment
Eric Nyarko, former Head of Accounts
Albert Oteng Owusu, former Internal Auditor
Kweku Dekyi Agyei, Accounts Officer
Iddrisu Ibn Abu-Bakr, former Head of Accounts
Stephen Kwabena Gyamfi, Koforidua Municipal Director
Prince Agbofa Awuku, District Director
Jacob Yawson, MIS Administrator in the Northern Regional Office.
Additionally, the minister named several private vendors based in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions said to have allegedly collaborated with NSA staff in manipulating the Authority’s Central Management System (CMS) for financial gain.
The minister mentioned the vendors as: Isaac Osae Asamani, owner of Stalwart/Option Buy Ventures
Charles Ohemeng, owner of CH OHEC Ventures
Philomina Arthur, owner of Brainwave Ventures
Rose Hamilton, owner of Marine Ventures
Kwaku Opare Agbofa, owner of Franlisa Ventures
Solomon Dwamena, owner of Alfarita Ventures
Haruna Mawulaya, owner of Alfayda Enterprise
Sylvia Ntriwa Opare, owner of Sylsona Ventures
There is also one Peter Mensah, a legal practitioner and husband of Gifty Oware-Mensah, the minister said will also be charged.
“These individuals will face charges including stealing, conspiracy to steal, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and obtaining public property by false statements.
The state is determined to hold all those involved in this criminal enterprise accountable. This prosecution is necessary to restore public confidence and ensure the integrity of our public institutions,” Dr. Ayine added.
As part of the ongoing process, some vendors have reportedly agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for non-prosecution deals. Their testimonies are expected to aid in securing convictions.
The case, which involves the creation of over 8,000 ghost names and the misappropriation of massive state funds, is being described as one of the largest anti-corruption crackdowns in recent history, highlighting the government’s renewed commitment to combating public sector fraud.
Meanwhile, in the case of Gifty Oware Mensah who at the initial stages of the new government left the shores of Ghana and was later declared wanted by President John Mahama, the A-G revealed she engineered a fraudulent scheme that ensured that she squandered over whopping GH¢30 million in public funds.
According to the Attorney General, Oware-Mensah clandestinely exploited the National Service Personnel (NSP) allowance system by using it as security to secure a GH¢30,698,218.69 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) at a 23% interest rate.
“Some directors, such as Gifty Oware-Mensah, created and executed a meticulously detailed plan, using NSP allowances as security to obtain a loan of thirty million six hundred and ninety-eight thousand, two hundred and eighteen cedis, sixty-nine pesewas (GH¢30,698,218.69) from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) at an interest rate of twenty-three percent (23%).”