The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has identified Gifty Oware-Mensah — a former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA) and a current Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) — as a central figure in a massive GH₵548 million financial scandal.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, June 13, 2025, Dr. Ayine revealed findings from the “Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL)” investigation, which uncovered a sophisticated fraud scheme allegedly led by Oware-Mensah.

According to the Attorney General, Oware-Mensah is accused of fraudulently acquiring a GH₵30.6 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) by registering a company, Blocks of Life Consult, without the consent or knowledge of its supposed directors — one of whom was her husband, lawyer Peter Mensah.

The loan, which was meant to provide household appliances for national service personnel, was reportedly funneled into private accounts. Investigators allege that 9,934 ghost names were created to facilitate the diversion of funds. Of the total amount, GH₵22.9 million was transferred to AMAECOM, a company Oware-Mensah is said to direct, while other sums were disbursed to businesses linked to co-conspirators.

The scandal — first exposed by investigative journalism outlet The Fourth Estate — included falsified payroll records, inflated budgets, and collusion with vendors. Over a six-year period (2018–2024), the state is believed to have lost GH₵548 million, with a staggering GH₵350 million embezzled during the 2022/2023 service year alone.

Twelve NSA officials and eight vendors are currently facing a range of charges, including stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state. Dr. Ayine disclosed that some vendors have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors under non-prosecution deals in exchange for their testimony.

“These fraudulent acts go against the core mission of the National Service Authority — to instill patriotism, discipline, and national development,” the Attorney General emphasized, pledging to recover every stolen cedi.

The National Anti-Piracy Committee of the Copyright Office of Ghana wishes to issue a strong warning to all television stations across the country regarding the unauthorised use, broadcasting, or distribution of copyrighted content for which they do not possess the legal rights.

It has come to the attention of the Committee that some television stations are engaging in the illegal practice of downloading films, series, documentaries, sports broadcasts, and other creative works from streaming platforms and subsequently airing them on their networks without proper authorisation or licensing from the rights holders.

We wish to remind all stakeholders in the broadcasting sector that this practice constitutes copyright infringement and is a criminal offence under the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), as amended. The law prohibits the unauthorised use of protected works, and any individual or entity found in violation is liable to face severe legal consequences, including fines, imprisonment, or both.

The Committee emphasises that copyright is a legal right that protects the creative works of authors, producers, and rights holders. The unauthorised reproduction or public performance of such works undermines the creative industry, deprives creators of their rightful earnings, and contravenes Ghana’s national and international obligations.

All television stations are therefore advised to:

1. Cease from broadcasting any content they do not have express rights or licenses to use.

2. Obtain proper authorisation from the appropriate rights holders or licensing agencies before airing any third-party content.

3. Maintain clear records of their content acquisition and licensing agreements for inspection when required.

The National Anti-Piracy Committee, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, will not hesitate to take legal action against any station found culpable. Surveillance and enforcement activities have been intensified nationwide to clamp down on such infringements.

We call on all broadcasters to uphold the principles of intellectual property rights and support the growth of Ghana’s creative economy by respecting the law.

Signed,

William Bonsu

PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY

Copyright Office of Ghana

For further information, contact:

Mr. Sammy Awuku Gyeketey

0242571982

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called off its nationwide strike following what it described as “very fruitful” discussions with Parliament’s Select Committee on Health.

The industrial action, which commenced on June 2, 2025, stemmed from delays in the implementation of a Collective Agreement signed in May 2024. What began as a symbolic protest with nurses wearing red armbands escalated into a full-blown withdrawal of outpatient and emergency services by June 9, significantly disrupting healthcare delivery nationwide.

In a press statement released on Friday, June 13, GRNMA announced the suspension of the strike, citing strong public appeals and the timely intervention of Parliament’s Health Committee.

“The engagement held with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and other stakeholders on Thursday, June 12, 2025, was very productive and laid the groundwork for a peaceful resolution of the dispute,” the statement noted.

The association has directed all nurses and midwives to return to duty beginning Saturday, June 14. A follow-up meeting with Parliament has been scheduled for June 26 to finalize the path forward on implementing the agreement.

GRNMA also took the opportunity to address circulating misinformation, stressing that the strike was neither politically driven nor intended to harm patients.

“We do not find satisfaction in seeing our patients suffer. But we cannot provide quality care when the system fails to support us,” the association stated.

Reaffirming its neutrality, GRNMA underscored its role as a non-partisan professional body that has consistently engaged all governments over its 65-year history to advocate for improved conditions for nurses and midwives.

“In our 65 years of existence, GRNMA has never been affiliated with any political party. We have worked with every government since 1960 to build a stronger, more resilient healthcare system,” the statement emphasized.

The association expressed appreciation to the Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the Health Committee for their structured and decisive intervention. It also extended gratitude to its members for their unity and professionalism during the strike, and acknowledged the media for highlighting their concerns.

“We thank the media sincerely for amplifying our voices across Ghana and beyond. We urge continued professionalism to guard against misinformation,” the statement concluded.

GRNMA assured the public that it remains committed to seeing the full implementation of the Collective Agreement.