Today in History: The GH¢10m bail that ended Gifty Oware-Mensah’s 20 days in custody

November 11, 2025, remains a notable date in the history of Ghana's National Service Authority scandal, as former Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah secured her release from custody after meeting the GH¢10 million bail conditions imposed by the Accra High Court.

Her release followed a dramatic legal battle over allegations of financial misconduct involving more than GH¢38 million in public funds.

The controversy had begun attracting considerable public attention following investigations into suspected ghost names on the National Service payroll. The alleged scheme involved fictitious personnel whose names were reportedly used to facilitate questionable financial transactions.

According to the prosecution's case, Oware-Mensah allegedly generated 9,934 non-existent National Service personnel through the authority's Central Management System.

Investigators further alleged that GH¢31.5 million was transferred to Blocks of Life Consult, a company linked to her, under a hire-purchase arrangement supposedly intended to supply goods to National Service personnel. Prosecutors said the goods were never delivered.

The state also accused her of causing an additional GH¢6.95 million in financial loss through interest charges associated with the transaction, bringing the alleged amount involved to approximately GH¢38.46 million.

On October 22, 2025, Oware-Mensah appeared before the Accra High Court and pleaded not guilty to five charges, including stealing, two counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit and money laundering.

The court granted her GH¢10 million bail, with three sureties, two of whom were required to justify their financial standing. She was also directed to surrender her passports and report to the police twice every month while the case remained before the court.

However, securing bail did not immediately translate into her release. She remained in custody for another period while arrangements were made to satisfy the court's conditions.

On November 11, 2025, after 20 days in detention, she finally met the requirements and walked out of custody.

Her release was confirmed the following day by New Patriotic Party Deputy General Secretary Haruna Mohammed, who disclosed the development during an interview on Channel One TV's Breakfast Daily.

"Madam Gifty Oware, it was yesterday that she met the bail condition, and she has been released," he said, while contrasting her situation with that of former NSA Executive Director Osei Assibey Antwi, who was still in custody over his separate GH¢800 million bail condition.

For Oware-Mensah, November 11 marked the end of her 20-day stay in custody, but the beginning of another chapter in a case that had placed the management of Ghana's National Service programme under intense public scrutiny.

Her release was not an acquittal or a dismissal of the charges. She remained an accused person, with the allegations still to be tested through the judicial process.

The date therefore stands as a significant moment in the unfolding NSA scandal: a former senior public official left custody after satisfying a substantial bail condition, while the questions surrounding the alleged GH¢38.46 million financial loss remained before the courts.

EA