The legal troubles of former National Service Authority (NSA) Executive Director Osei Assibey Antwi have deepened after the state filed an amended charge sheet, increasing the number of counts against him from 14 to 21. The new filing also revises the particulars of the alleged financial crimes.
Mr. Assibey Antwi, who headed the authority from September 2021 to January 2025, has pleaded not guilty to all counts in the amended suit.
The most significant revision concerns the core allegation of causing financial loss to the state. The original charge cited a loss of over GH¢500 million linked to more than 60,000 “ghost names.” However, the amended charge sheet now pegs the alleged loss at GH¢431,761,556.76. The prosecution has refined its language, alleging the payments were made to “non-service personnel and unverified individuals” rather than directly to ghost names.
The state’s case, as detailed in the new filing, alleges that Mr. Assibey Antwi, acting as the principal spending officer and a signatory to NSA accounts, abused his office by authorizing personnel lists submitted to the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) for monthly disbursements. He is accused of overseeing the approval of payments to both unverified personnel and marketplace vendors.
Among the most damning new allegations are several counts related to an e-zwich card. The prosecution claims that funds intended for service personnel were diverted to a card registered in Mr. Assibey Antwi’s personal name. The card reportedly received GH¢8,256,000 between 2022 and 2024. It was allegedly not declared during the official handover process and was initially denied by the former director. The card was later recovered from his residence in Dome on March 25, 2025, with evidence showing personal withdrawals had been made.
The amended charge sheet further alleges that payments were made to NSA marketplace vendors despite no services being rendered. In some instances, vendors are said to have refunded money directly to Mr. Assibey Antwi in cash. A specific example cited involves a payment of GH¢7,704,880.92 allegedly made to Direct Savings and Loans for services that were never provided.
The state has also expanded charges related to the Sekyere-Kumawu Economic Enclave (Farm) Project. According to prosecutors, approximately GH¢106 million was transferred from the NSA Control Account between August 2022 and June 2024 for land clearing and irrigation. The project allegedly failed to deliver value for money, resulting in an estimated specific loss of GH¢61,289,843.30.
The 21 counts now include multiple allegations of stealing, causing financial loss to the Republic, money laundering, and contravention of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
