The National Service Scheme is not of any use to the country, retired diplomat K.B. Asante has said.

"To me, it (national service) has already lost its relevance, and, perhaps, we should revisit the drawing board and have another system and let’s perhaps do it like a volunteer system,” Mr. Asante noted during a discussion on Accra based Class FM about the mandatory one-year duty to the nation which everyone who graduates from a tertiary institution is supposed to undertake.

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He emphasized that:

“I think what we call national service now is an apology of service to the people. There’s nothing service about it, there’s nothing national about it."

Mr Asante added, describing it as “an apology for service and we should try to change it for something real and it doesn’t matter even if everybody doesn’t do it, we should make it more voluntary."

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The discussion about National service in Ghana has become relevant after President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees: Catherine Afeku and Otiko Afisa Djaba revealed they have not done their national service – a legal requirement for employment in the public sector.

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However, Mr. Asante was of the view that Minister designates who could not do national service should be approved but be given another opportunity to make up for it.