Audit uncovers GH¢8.2m irregular payments to former national service authority boss

Findings from a technical and forensic audit of the National Service Authority (NSA), seen exclusively by The Fourth Estate, have revealed startling financial irregularities involving the institution’s former Director-General, Osei Assibey Antwi.

The audit uncovered that Mr. Assibey Antwi, who was appointed as Director-General of the then National Service Scheme (NSS) in 2021, was simultaneously listed as a volunteer within the same Authority during the 2022/2023 service year, a year after assuming office.

Records show that while serving as the head of the NSA, he received monthly allowances of GH¢516,000 for 16 months in his capacity as a supposed volunteer. In total, this amounted to GH¢8,256,000 in irregular payments.

The audit findings corroborate an earlier statement by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, who on Friday, June 13, gave an update on investigations by Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) into financial malfeasance at the National Service Authority.

“In the 2022/2023 service year, a total of GH¢8,256,000 was deposited into EZWICH account number 1177042059, which is registered in the name of suspect Osei Assibey. Investigations showed that he personally received these funds,” Dr. Ayine stated.

He further disclosed that when investigators conducted a search of Mr. Assibey’s residence, the EZWICH card linked to the account was retrieved, the fourth estate reports.