National Service Persons Confirm Receipt of 2 Months Allowances, Express Desire to Quit

In an interview with Pulse News, several individuals expressed their frustration with the delayed and incomplete payment system, with some even contemplating leaving the program altogether.

Johnson, aged 24, articulated his dissatisfaction, stating, "Finally, I've received my allowance but I'm not excited at all. How can I be working for 5 months and get just two months' allowance? They're frustrating us. Honestly, I want to quit!"

Curtis, 23, echoed similar sentiments, expressing disappointment with the partial payment. "Two months out of 4. Honestly, I feel they should have paid in full. There's absolutely no reason for half payment given the delay. Why promise monthly when you can't live up to it?" he questioned.

Angela, a National Service Person serving in the Ghana Education Service, highlighted the financial strain caused by delayed payments.

"They should try their best to pay the allowance on time because most personnel are taking care of themselves so they tend to borrow money from friends," she explained. "If anything is hindering them not to paying these monies on time, they should communicate to the NSPs. I believe communication is key."

Precious, 23, shared her dismay, emphasizing the unfairness of the payment method. "Just 2 months... it's so unfair to work for 5 months and just get two months' pay," she lamented. "All I have to tell them is that a lot needs to be done to improve the working conditions of the NSS."

Franklin raised concerns about the broader implications of such practices on national patriotism. "This nation is discouraging the youth from exhibiting patriotism to the State," he remarked.

He urged the NSS secretariat and the government to prioritize timely payments and streamline administrative processes. "Pay on time. Teach Personnel to uphold and fulfill their commitments, especially to the State," he asserted.

He proposed practical solutions to enhance efficiency, suggesting, "The Supervisors of the various Personnel can be given the space to directly upload the printed, filled, and signed copies of the evaluation. Then, physical submissions would also be received, in case the Supervisor finds it difficult to scan and upload the filled form using their institutional mail."

Franklin emphasized the potential for NSS personnel to contribute meaningfully to national development if administrative hurdles were addressed promptly. "In this day and age, Personnel can channel the many hours spent in heat-filled-long-and-never-ending queues into profitable service to promote national development, one key focus of the whole National Service,"

Meanwhile Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Osei Assibey Antwi, attributed the recent delays in the disbursement of National Service personnel allowances to challenges within the personnel submission process.

The outcry from NSS personnel underscores the urgent need for reform within the National Service Scheme to ensure fair treatment and timely disbursement of allowances, thereby fostering a conducive environment for national service and development.