BNI retaining 6.5 million GH ¢ owned by NSS – Executive Director

By
Christopher Arko, RNG

Accra, April 18 GNA – Mr.
Mustapha Ussif, Executive Director of the National Services Program (NSS)
revealed that the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) continues to keep a diary
the amount of 6.5 million GH ¢ belonging to the plan as an exhibit in a case.

According to him, the
BNI in its money collection operation allegedly removed from service personnel
allowance account created the account of the director of BNI to deposit the money in.

Mr. Ussif made the
disclosure when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee for
answer the questions in the 2016 Auditor General's Report.

Mr. Ussif's answer
followed by a question from Mr Sam George, Member of the European Parliament,
Ningo-Pampram why the 6.5 million GH ¢ should be paid to the director of BNI
Account.

Mr. Ussif also
explained that when the regime was hit by the ghost name scandal, the
investigative agency charged by the government to investigate the case
was the BNI.

He told the BNI in
their operation then decided to create a special account to collect money
would have been withdrawn from the service staff allocation account by the district
NSS officers, regional officers and national officers who have been
involved in the scandal.

He said when he
took office and went through his handing over of notes and the listener
The General's report was officially written to the director of the BNI at the time and was
invited to meet to discuss how these amounts could be reimbursed to the NSS.

He told the BNI in
their response stated that because the case was still pending in court and that they
used the money as a piece, until the deal was concluded they would not be
release it to the diet.

However, Mr. Sam George
who was not satisfied with the response of the boss of the NSS asked Mr. James Klutse
Avedze, president of the CAP, will vote on the issue.

"I do not see how the
6.5 million GH ¢ sitting on the BNI account and not sent back to the chest
evidence. Once a bank statement indicates that these recoveries have been
from different districts on the specialized account that should be
sufficient for any legal proceedings, "he added.

The NSS was shaken by
ghost names in 2014, which led to the arrest and criminal prosecution of
several officers, including; Alhaji Alhbadan, then Executive Director
Mohammed Imoro and 34 others.

An BNI report suggests
that between September 2013 and August 2014, the then Executive Director and 34
others including; all regional directors and other senior officers inflated
payroll with as many as 31,516 ghost names for the national service
badignments and recruitment of the National Voluntary Service.

All these ghost names
benefited from 243 GH ¢ and 350,00 GH ¢ paid to the national service agents in
this year by suggesting that money went into the pockets of those who were behind
the parcel.

GNA