No one will be shielded in the GH¢80m NSS scandal – Ayine 

Eight individuals linked to the National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal have initiated plea bargain discussions with the Attorney-General’s Department, expressing readiness to cooperate and testify in the case.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, made this known on Monday, July 28, during a briefing at the Government Accountability Series in Accra. He revealed that among the eight are three former officers of the National Service Authority who have voluntarily approached his office in an effort to strike plea agreements.

The case, which centers around financial irregularities involving a staggering GH¢189 million, has seen a temporary delay in prosecution as investigators uncover new leads. According to Dr. Ayine, GH¢80 million out of the total transferred sum remains unaccounted for, raising serious concerns about the extent of the misappropriation.

“The National Service Authority scandal case was due to be filed last week. However, we stumbled upon evidence of malfeasance involving an account at the Bank of Ghana,” he said.

“Out of the GH¢189 million transferred, GH¢80 million cannot be traced. Two cheques linked to the former Director-General were used to withdraw just under GH¢2 million,” Dr. Ayine added.

The account in question, believed to be connected to former NSS Director-General Mr. Osei Assibey, is now under closer scrutiny following the revelation that significant sums were withdrawn using cheques bearing his name.

Due to the emerging evidence, the Attorney-General’s Office has put on hold the formal filing of charges while awaiting critical documents from key state agencies including the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

Dr. Ayine disclosed that, beyond the former officials, several vendors and service providers cited in the investigations have also indicated their intention to support the prosecution.

He reaffirmed his commitment to due process and accountability, stating: “No individual found culpable will be shielded from accountability.”