Arrests of former officials must be civil and lawful- Afenyo-Markin

Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has strongly criticized the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) for its alleged attempt to arrest former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Gifty Oware-Mensah, in what he described as a “Rambo-style” operation.
Oware-Mensah, who had been in the United States since the December elections, returned to Ghana yesterday amidst an ongoing investigation into an alleged ghost names scandal at the NSS.
Reports indicate that she was met at the Kotoka International Airport by family members amid speculation that NIB officials had been preparing to arrest her upon arrival.
Her return follows the recent detention of another former NSS official, Kwaku Ohene Gyan, also known as Osonoba, by the NIB. The government has also announced plans to extradite key suspects who are believed to have fled the country to evade investigations into the scandal.

Arrests must be civil and lawful
Speaking to journalists after Oware-Mensah’s arrival, Afenyo-Markin emphasized the need for a more respectful and lawful approach in handling such cases.
He argued that public officials accused of wrongdoing should be invited to assist with investigations rather than being ambushed in dramatic arrests.

“Sometimes this ‘Rambo-style’ approach doesn’t help. If you want to invite someone, you can do so. The person is a public official, so there should be no problem,” he stated.
He further explained that if an individual voluntarily appears before the authorities with legal representation and is willing to cooperate, due legal processes, including bail arrangements, should be followed rather than resorting to aggressive arrests.

Backdoor negotiations avert airport arrest
Reports suggest that prior to Oware-Mensah’s arrival, NIB officials had planned to detain her at the airport.
However, a last-minute intervention—allegedly involving backchannel discussions between the NIB and the Minority Leader—resulted in a change of approach.
Instead of an immediate arrest, she is now expected to report voluntarily to the NIB for questioning.
The move has sparked debates on law enforcement tactics, with critics arguing that politically charged cases often lead to high-profile but unnecessary public spectacles rather than proper due process.

Massive payroll fraud under investigation
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the NIB to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the NSS scandal following revelations that 81,885 ghost names were discovered on the scheme’s payroll.

An investigative report by The Fourth Estate, an independent anti-corruption media organization, uncovered the fraudulent entries, raising concerns about the misuse of public funds.
“This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024,” a government statement read.
The fraudulent names are estimated to have cost the state a staggering GH₵50 million every month, though it remains unclear how long the scheme had been in operation.
As a former Deputy Executive Director responsible for administration and finance at NSS, Oware-Mensah is considered a key witness in the unfolding investigations.

Balancing accountability with due process
While there is growing pressure on the government to crack down on corruption, Afenyo-Markin and other critics argue that law enforcement agencies must ensure that their methods do not undermine civil liberties or due process.
With the NSS investigation expected to widen, the focus will now be on how the NIB and other state agencies handle the questioning, arrests, and potential prosecutions of those implicated in the scandal.
The coming days will likely determine whether Ghana’s fight against corruption remains a matter of rule of law or descends into political theatrics.