Gifty Oware-Mensah, Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), has disclosed that the National Service Secretariat has plans to adjust the current allowance for National Service Personnel.
This follows agitations by the personnel.
The President of the Coalition of Suffering National Service Personnel Group, Weachea Awaregya called for an increase in the allowance to meet the current economic challenges facing the country.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Wednesday, Gifty Oware-Mensah stated that the new allowance will be beyond what the Service personnel have proposed.
She stated that these plans have been tabled before the Education Committee of Parliament.
Madam Oware-Mensah, however, failed to mention the exact amount to be paid. Currently, National Service Personnel (NSPs) receive a monthly allowance of GH¢559.04.
“Unfortunately, all we can come up with will be the figures when it goes for appropriation, but at this point, what I can say and confidently, is the fact that it will be more than the GH¢800 they are seeking for,” she said.
The Coalition of Suffering National Service Personnel took to the streets of Accra on Monday to protest their unpaid allowance.
Clad in red and wielding placards, the group said their three months’ allowance, which are in arrears, must be paid.
According to them, the delay in payment of their allowance is causing financial hardship due to recent price hikes of goods and services.
Reacting to this, the Deputy Executive Director at the National Service Scheme dismissed claims of owing some NSPs three months allowance arrears.
According to her, the Service has paid 67,000 personnel as of April, 2022, adding that only personnel who have not submitted their monthly evaluation forms are yet to be paid.
Gifty Oware-Mensah assured that the Service will however fast-track payment for personnel who delayed in submitting their monthly assessment forms.
“Many of them have not submitted their monthly assessment or some of them have delayed in submission and so, after we pay the general one, yes there are few payments that we have to make and we do those payments before we pay our next in line. So yes, we are going to make sure we pay them and if you did not work for any month, you are not going to be paid,” she pointed out.
