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The Governing Board of the Ghana National Service Scheme has directed the beleaguered director of the Service, Imoro Alhassan, and his two deputies Michael Kombor - in charge of finance and administration - and Sophia Karen Akuako - in charge of Operations - to step aside. Their directive comes on the heels of revelations that Gh�7.9 million was paid to over 22,000 non-existent national service persons in more than 100 districts in July 2014. According to a statement signed by the board chairman, Gifty Mahama Biyira, three others - Fiifi Asubonteng, the Director of IT, Alhassan Iddrisu, the Director, PPME and Gloria Aku Mensah, the Ag. Internal Auditor - have also been directed to step aside. The statement said: �Furthermore, the Greater Accra Regional Director, Mr. Seth Asiedu, and ALL other officers of the Scheme whose names have so far been cited in the on-going investigations are to step aside. �The above Decisions were taken at an Emergency Board Meeting held on Friday, 3rd October, 2014. Meanwhile the Governing Board, headed by its Chairman, has temporarily taken over management of the Scheme until further notice. �These actions by the Board are informed by its strong desire and determination to pave way for the on-going investigations into the operations of the Scheme and to ensure that all persons who may be found culpable are appropriately sanctioned according to law. �The Board wishes to assure the general public that since its inauguration on 9th December, 2013, it has, and will continue, to pursue the path of public accountability and elimination of all corrupt practices in the operations of the Scheme.� Investigations by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) unearthed the rot at the Scheme. The Programmes Manager of GII, Mary Adda, said the continue stay in office of indicted officials is untenable. �He should be asked to step aside. All the regional directors involved in this process should be asked to step aside until they are proven innocent. "The security officers are investigating so it�s improper for the same officers to continue to be in office. They must step aside,� she fumed. According to the Daily Graphic, Alhassan is one of 23 directors of the NSS, who attempted bribing BNI officials to cover up the rot. Of the total of Gh�200,000 bribes paid, Alhassan, according to the national daily, paid Gh�100,000. The other Gh�100,000 was paid by the 22 other directors. Alhassan, the paper said, first paid Gh�85,000 and later Gh�15,000 in his attempt to silence investigators. Apart from attempting to use money to bribe the investigators, Alhassan and the 22 other directors, also allegedly used smocks, laptops and goats to influence the BNI officials.