Articles by Yaw Opoku Amoako

Supreme Court dismisses bid to bar judge in GHS49m Kwabena Adu-Boahene trial

The Supreme Court has dismissed a motion seeking to disqualify Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu from presiding over the trial of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, who is accused of causing a financial loss of GH₵49 million to the state. A five-member panel, chaired by Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson, unanimously ruled on Tuesday, October 29, that the application lacked merit and failed to meet the legal threshold required to prohibit a trial judge. Adu-Boahene and his wife, Adjei-Boateng, are facing multiple charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering. They allegedly diverted GH₵49 million meant for software procurement into their private company through a web of firms linked to ASL. Both have pleaded not guilty and are on bail. Through his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, Adu-Boahene petitioned the Supreme Court on October 22 to stop Justice Nyadu from continuing the case, citing alleged bias. He argued that the trial judge had shown partiality by ruling certain evidence inadmissible and by setting what he described as “unusual” court hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Supreme Court, however, held that the claims of bias were unsubstantiated and that Justice Nyadu’s management of the case did not violate the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

22 hours ago

Technology

Auditor-General uncovers GHS300m vendor payments without contracts at National Service Authority

A forensic audit by the Auditor-General has exposed that the National Service Authority (NSA) made payments exceeding GH¢300 million to 32 vendors without contracts, invoices, or any proof of goods or services rendered — a scheme auditors described as a “parallel channel for siphoning funds.” The audit, covering 2018–2024, found that the irregular disbursements were processed through the NSA’s “MarketPlace” platform, violating the Public Financial Management Act (Act 921). According to the report presented to Parliament on October 1, 2025, one company, Direct Savings and Loans Ltd., alone received GH¢169 million — more than half of the total — through 151 transactions using five separate Ezwich Unique Serial Numbers. Auditors noted the absence of contracts, invoices, or approvals from the NSA Board, adding that no formal agreements defined the purpose or conditions of the payments. The report warned that the lack of transparency created “avenues for insider collusion and misuse of public funds.” The Auditor-General has directed the NSA to provide supporting documents or recover GH¢301.6 million from the vendors involved, with surcharges and penalties to be imposed on responsible officials if documentation is not produced.

22 hours ago

Technology

21 injured in highway crash at Akuse junction

Twenty-one people were rushed to various hospitals after a serious accident at Akuse Junction on the Kpong–Tema Highway involving a Toyota Hiace minibus (GE 6374–22) and a Dodge Ram pickup (DV 4363Z–25). The impact left several passengers trapped, prompting a rescue operation by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) from the Kpong Fire Station, with assistance from the Ghana Ambulance Service and Akuse Police. Some victims were reportedly rescued by bystanders before emergency teams arrived. Six of the injured were taken to the Akuse Government Hospital, while others were treated at Kings and Queens Hospital and St. Martin De Porres Hospital. Both vehicles were extensively damaged, and police have begun investigations to determine the cause of the crash.

22 hours ago

Technology

Minority in Parliament files motion to suspend Chief Justice's vetting pending court case

The Minority in Parliament has tabled a motion seeking the suspension of all parliamentary proceedings related to the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice until the conclusion of ongoing legal cases challenging the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo. Invoking Articles 110(1), 125–127, 144(1), and 146 of the 1992 Constitution, along with relevant Standing Orders, the Minority is urging Parliament to halt the Appointments Committee’s vetting process, as well as any plenary debates or approval sessions. The motion references several pending suits, including one before the ECOWAS Court (Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/32/25) and others in Ghana’s Supreme Court and High Court, all contesting the legality of Justice Torkornoo’s removal from office. It further calls for the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, to appear before Parliament to brief lawmakers on the status of the litigation, outlining the identities of the cases, any interim or conservatory orders, reliefs sought, and the implications for the Chief Justice’s office. The Minority also demands clarification on Ghana’s treaty obligations in connection with the ECOWAS Court case and a government assessment of potential legal or constitutional risks should the nomination process proceed while the disputes remain unresolved. The motion follows President John Dramani Mahama’s nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to succeed Justice Torkornoo, whose removal has become the subject of multiple legal challenges.

23 hours ago

Technology

Auditor-General’s audit exposes ex-deputy NSA boss was enrolled as a Service Personnel

A forensic audit by the Auditor-General has revealed that Gifty Oware-Mensah, Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), was unlawfully enrolled as a national service personnel while already employed as a full-time public officer. According to the audit report, Mrs. Oware-Mensah was manually added to the National Service Scheme database on March 16, 2021, under the guise of serving based on her Master of Public Administration degree from KNUST — a move that contravenes statutory eligibility requirements. Her full service allowance of GH¢6,708.48 (GH¢559.04 monthly for 12 months) was diverted to a vendor via the NSA’s “MarketPlace” platform for a supposed credit facility. The approval, issued on April 22, 2021, came from then-Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, whom auditors noted had no legal mandate to authorize such a PIN assignment. Though officially posted to Koblimahagu Sobriya Primary School in Tamale, Mrs. Oware-Mensah neither reported for duty nor underwent biometric validation, yet her details remained active on the payroll. The audit identified her as one of 4,556 individuals improperly enrolled as service personnel, resulting in irregular expenditures amounting to GH¢899,349.67. Only 19 of those enrollees met the minimum validation criteria. Investigators blamed the lapse on manual overrides, poor system security, and the absence of automated verification tools to block salaried officers from dual enrolment. The report also flagged misuse of the NSA’s “MarketPlace” platform, which enabled unauthorized deductions and payments without evidence of goods or services rendered. The Auditor-General described the situation as a “serious breach of public trust” and recommended the recovery of all funds, with Mrs. Oware-Mensah and implicated officials — including Osei Assibey Antwi and Eric Nyarko — to be surcharged with the total amount plus interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate. The report further urged disciplinary action against those who bypassed standard procedures and called for immediate automation of the service’s validation systems to prevent future abuses.

23 hours ago

Technology

Auditor-General uncovers GHS1.01bn irregular payments to former National Service Personnel

A forensic audit by the Auditor-General has uncovered that the National Service Authority (NSA) made irregular payments totalling GH¢1.01 billion to former National Service Personnel (NSPs) who continued to receive allowances beyond the legally mandated 12-month service period. The audit, which reviewed payroll data from 2018 to 2024, found that 120,777 service personnel were paid beyond the approved 13-month limit, which includes a one-time travel and transport (T&T) allowance. Some individuals reportedly continued receiving monthly stipends for years after completing their service. According to the Technical and Forensic Audit Report submitted to Parliament on October 1, 2025, the payments directly contravened Act 426 of 1980, which governs the National Service Scheme and stipulates a one-year compulsory service for eligible citizens. “Our audit analysis of payroll data revealed widespread anomalies, where some National Service Personnel were paid well beyond the statutory 13-month maximum, with payments spanning multiple years,” the report stated. The GH¢1.01 billion overpayment forms part of a broader GH¢2.45 billion in financial irregularities at the NSA, including payments to vendors without contracts or proof of service delivery. The Auditor-General cited the findings as evidence of “serious lapses in payroll management and internal controls” and recommended an immediate overhaul of the NSA’s payroll system as well as prosecution of those found culpable.

23 hours ago