BY Daniel Bampoe
A heated war of words has erupted between the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, and Accra FM presenter, Kwabena Bobie Ansah over allegations of fraud, threats, and abuse of office related to an unresolved visa facilitation deal gone wrong.
The controversy began after Bobie Ansah publicly accused Kofi Ofosu Nkansah of shielding a former NEIP staff member, identified as Joseph Oppong Brenya, who allegedly defrauded a young woman named Mercy under the pretext of facilitating a visa to the United States.
According to Bobie Ansah, Oppong Brenya, believed to have been Nkansah’s personal assistant at the time, used official NEIP documents—bearing Nkansah’s signature—to lend credibility to the promise, allegedly swindling the woman out of GH¢90,000 in the process.
Bobie further claimed that Nkansah was actively involved in efforts to cover up the incident and avoid legal repercussions for his former staff member.
He alleged that the NEIP accounts office was used to reimburse part of the money, implying that the former CEO had knowledge of, or involvement in, the fraudulent transaction.
“Your threats at the young lady Mercy ain’t going anywhere, and I’ve asked her to report you to the Ghana Police,” Bobie said in a strongly worded social media post.
He also posed several rhetorical questions aimed at Nkansah, questioning his denial and accusing him of complicity.
But Kofi Ofosu Nkansah has hit back forcefully, describing Bobie Ansah’s claims as baseless and defamatory.
In his own social media rebuttal, Kofi Nkansah categorically denied ever threatening the woman and stated that his only interaction with her was to ask for a disclaimer clearing him of any involvement.
“I have not threatened her or anyone,” Nkansah said. “I asked her to issue a disclaimer that I wasn’t part of whatever agreement she had with the guy.”
He also clarified that Joseph Oppong Brenya was never his personal assistant, but rather a communications director at NEIP appointed during the tenure of the late Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah.
Kofi Nkansah maintained that he had no control over the personal dealings of his staff, especially matters involving their girlfriends or private arrangements.
“For the records, I met Joseph Oppong Brenya at NEIP. He was hired by John Kumah as Director of Communications. He was never my PA. My PA was a lady,” Nkansah stated.
The former NEIP boss expressed frustration over being dragged into a scandal he believes he has no part in, lamenting the damage to his reputation over a matter involving a former subordinate.
“Folks, imagine I have to suffer this defamation because of this same former staff of mine, Oppong Brenya, who now attacks me publicly. Just because he allegedly took money from her ex with the promise of facilitating a trip for her,” he said.
Kofi Nkansah also questioned why the victim had not taken legal action against the alleged fraudster if she truly believed she had been defrauded.
“Why hasn’t she reported him to the Police for defrauding her? Is she serious? Both you and the lady are jokers for not using law enforcement agencies to get that money,” he added.
The disagreement has sparked wider conversations on social media, with political and civil society commentators weighing in on the accountability of public officials and the potential misuse of government institutions for personal gain.
This developing feud also casts a shadow over the legacy of NEIP, a flagship youth empowerment programme launched under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration to promote entrepreneurship and job creation.
During his tenure, Kofi Nkansah had widely been praised for facilitating thousands of youth-focused business support initiatives, often claiming he did so without demanding personal financial benefit.
However, this recent controversy threatens to dent that image, especially as calls grow for an independent investigation into whether NEIP facilities and official documents were misused in the alleged visa facilitation scheme.
