The Governing Board of the Ghana National Service Scheme has directed the Executive Director of the Scheme, Alhaji Alhassan Imoro and his two Deputies, Michael Kombor, in charge of Finance & Administration and Sophia Karen Akuako, in charge of Operations to step aside.
Other staff members at the Secretariat’s Head Office have also been directed to step aside. They are: Fiifi Asubonteng, the Director of IT, Alhassan Iddrisu, the Director, PPME, Gloria Aku Mensah, the Ag. Internal Auditor
The Greater Accra Regional Director, Seth Asiedu, and all other officers of the Scheme whose names have so far been cited in the on-going investigations are to step aside.
A statement issued by the governing board of the Secretariat said the decision was taken on Friday at an emergency board meeting.
The indicted persons have been ordered to step aside following their involvement in the payment of GH¢7.9 million to 22,612 non-existent national service persons in more than 100 districts in July 2014.
The NSS boss is also said to have paid large sums of money to investigators in a bid to induce them to stop their attempt to uncover the rot.
The statement signed by the NSS board chair, Mrs Gifty Mahama Biyira stated that the Governing Board has temporary taken over management of the Scheme until further notice.
It said these actions were informed by the board’s “strong desire and determination to pave way for the on-going investigations into the operations of the Scheme and to ensure that all persons who may be found culpable are appropriately sanctioned according to law.”
The Board assured the general public that since its inauguration on 9th December, 2013, “it has, and will continue, to pursue the path of public accountability and elimination of all corrupt practices in the operations of the Scheme.”
Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed that government will take a decision on the director who was still at post when the story broke by the close of Friday.
“We will consider what the facts are and what national security has in its possession and whether the continuous stay of the Director will tenable at the national service scheme. So yes, that consideration will be made in the cause of the day,” he explained.
Alhaji Alhassan, who is currently under investigation and close monitoring, is alleged to have paid GH¢200,000 in his attempt to influence investigators at the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to conceal the financial malfeasance.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News the Deputy Minister assured the public that government will “get to the bottom of the case.”
Citi News insider sources say the board is embarrassed by Alhaji Alhassan’s involvement in the scandal.
Although he is a member of the board, the Director did not attend Friday’s meeting and has not reported to the office.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana