The Daily Gist has learnt that the recent interrogation of two Members of Parliament- MPs by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in the precinct of Parliament was in regard to the National Service Authority payroll fraud.
The Speaker of Parliament had granted access by the NIB operatives to the two MPs, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, and Mustapha Ussif, a former Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) over the payroll fraud.
However, information picked up by The Daily Gist indicates that the MPs have been accused of financial misconduct.
At the heart of the investigation is a GHS 1.5 million payment linked to an MP believed to be A-Plus.
The National Service scandal involves the manipulation of the NSS payroll system through the insertion of ghost names and the alleged payment of bribes to suppress media coverage of the alleged corruption.
The unfolding case has drawn significant public interest due to the stature of the individuals involved and the growing calls for accountability.
The Allegations
According to disclosures made by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, during a press conference on March 24, 2025, the scandal involves high-ranking officials within the National Service Authority who allegedly received illicit payments from private vendors and staff within the NSS with the money lodged into their accounts.
These payments are believed to be part of a coordinated scheme, part of which was allegedly funneled to a Member of Parliament to influence media reportage and stifle investigations into the existence of thousands of ghost names on the NSS payroll.
Dr Ayine indicated that eight suspects had already been interrogated, with several providing incriminating testimony.
“We now have evidence of payments made into the accounts of top NSS executives, as well as evidence that the CEO and others paid a Ghanaian MP to kill the story in the media,” he stated.
While the Attorney General did not name the MP in question at the time, recent developments have identified A Plus—an outspoken musician-turned-politician and current MP for Gomoa Central as the intermediary who allegedly facilitated or received alleged bribe payments during the tenure of Osei Assibey Antwi, as Executive Director of the NSS.
Parliamentary Clearance
In response to the gravity of the allegations, the NIB formally requested that both A-Plus and Mustapha Ussif who ended his tenure in 2020 be released from their parliamentary duties to assist in ongoing investigations.
Parliament, in a letter signed by Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Clerk to Parliament, has granted this request, referencing the constitutional provisions under Articles 117 and 118 and affirming public interest as a guiding factor.
“Parliament, in principle, agrees to the request in the above matter,” the letter read.
The two MPs on Monday, April 7, 2025, appeared before the NIB at the Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist Conference Room in the Office of the Speaker.
Both lawmakers were advised to attend the session with their legal counsel.
A Plus Reaction
In the wake of these revelations, after meeting the NIB, A Plus took to social media to lash out at the Attorney General, threatening legal action and accusing him of orchestrating a political witch-hunt.
His online tirade, while attracting criticism, has further intensified media scrutiny around the case.
A-Plus, known for his previous activism, has consistently branded himself as a voice of integrity in public life.
His involvement in this scandal has, therefore, shocked many of his supporters and political observers alike.
History of NSS Scandals
This is not the first time the National Service Scheme has found itself at the center of controversy.
In 2014 under Mahama presidency, a massive payroll scandal led to the dismissal and prosecution of several NSS officials.
The current allegations, however, are potentially more damaging given their implication of sitting parliamentarians and the suggestion of a deliberate media cover-up.
-BY DANIEL BAMPOE
