The National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) has suspended its capacity-building programme after many national service personnel raised concerns about deductions from their monthly allowances to pay for the training.
The decision comes after public criticism over a GH¢60 deduction from the allowances of some service personnel. Many of them said they were not properly consulted before the deductions were made.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, July 21, NASPA National President Abdul-Wahab Bala Mohammed said the association initially believed the programme would benefit service personnel by helping them gain skills that could improve their chances of getting jobs after national service.
“We believe that the package represented value for money, especially considering the potential return on investment in terms of your future employability. However, we fully acknowledge that the financial commitment required may not have been reasonable for all service personnel.”
Mr Mohammed explained that after discussions, NASPA asked the National Service Authority (NSA) to reduce the amount to GH¢60 and spread the payment over four months. Under the arrangement, GH¢15 would be deducted each month to help cover part of the programme’s cost.
“Based on this progress, NASPA formally requested the National Service Authority to facilitate a reduction of 60 Ghana cedis to represent the duration of the training over a four-month learning period, i.e. 15 cedis per month, to offset part of the programme costs already incurred, which was deducted in the last allowance.”
He said the association later reviewed the programme after concerns about the deductions and the level of consultation continued to grow.
According to him, NASPA met with its newly elected regional executives, collected feedback from service personnel and held discussions with the management of the National Service Authority.
“As concerns about the programme intensified, particularly regarding the deductions and the level of consultation, we took our time to engage our newly elected regional executives, receive feedback from service personnel, as well as carefully review the issues that had been raised.”
Mr Mohammed said the decision to suspend the programme followed those consultations and directives from the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment and the governing board of the National Service Authority.
“In response to the feedback from the service personnel and general public, and as well as in line with the sector minister’s and board’s directive, the management have issued this directive to NASPA.”
“The capacity building programme, as currently structured, is hereby suspended with immediate effect, pending a comprehensive review of the programme for a decisive action to be taken, which is in line with our sector minister, the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Honourable George Opare-Addo’s directive.”
He assured all national service personnel that no more deductions would be made while the programme is under review.
“Again, we wish to assure every National Service person that there will be no further deductions on behalf of or in relation to the capacity building training.”
Mr Mohammed also welcomed the suspension of the programme and thanked the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, the National Service Authority’s governing board and its management for listening to the concerns raised by service personnel and the public.
If you’d like, I can also rewrite it in a more newsroom-style format suitable for publication by a Ghanaian media outlet.
