Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine has defended his decision to publicly brief Ghanaians on the findings of investigations into the National Service Scheme (NSS) ghost names scandal, asserting that transparency is a critical part of his duty.
Speaking during a media engagement on Friday, Dr. Ayine emphasized that keeping the public informed is not a political strategy but a constitutional responsibility.
“There is nothing absolutely wrong… We have a duty to account to the people of this country,” he declared, referencing global standards.
“Even the AG of the US, when they conclude their investigations, they brief the press.”
The Attorney-General said it is important to keep Ghanaians informed on the progress of sensitive investigations, especially when they involve public funds and high-profile individuals.
“It is not in order to make any political party look bad. What we are doing is simply to account to the people of this country. I will continue to account to the people of this country through the press briefings,” he insisted.
Dr. Ayine disclosed that he had received a comprehensive docket compiled by what he described as “diligent and hardworking investigators at the BNI.”
“In total, we can confirm from our evidence in the docket and from the investigations that a whopping GH¢548,333,542.64” has been lost through fraudulent schemes involving ghost names and forged documents within the NSS.
His remarks come in the wake of concerns raised by some political observers and defense lawyers, questioning the appropriateness of holding media briefings on cases yet to be fully tried in court.
But Dr. Ayine was clear—transparency and accountability remain central to his approach.
“This is not theatre. It’s accountability,” he concluded.
