Acting Director for Corporate Affairs at the National Service Scheme, Mr. Ambrose Entsiwah Jr. says his outfit is in the process of determining a particular date for the disbursement of the upwardly adjusted allowances to National Service personnel.
This comes after the Corporate Affairs Department of the National Service scheme released a press statement announcing the approval of an upward adjustment of monthly allowances from 559.40 GHC TO 715.57 GHC for national service personnel taking effect from January 2023.
The statement further assured all National Service personnel who are currently in active service of a due clearance of arrears for the difference in the upward adjustment from January this year.
In an exclusive interview with Univers News, Mr. Entsiwah revealed that no specific date had been given on the disbursement of money to ensure the arrival of the allowances ahead of the disbursement.
“We have been engaging with the controlling attorney general…to get the money released to us and that is why we are very careful not give any specific date because the money will have to be credited into our account and we will know how much has been brought…and based on that we will give the allowance.”
He explained that the national service personnel working in private companies may not be affected by the increment in allowance as they already receive higher allowances as compared to national service personnel in the public sector.
However he emphasized that there would be no paymens below the 715.57 GHC threshold.
“As service personnels in the public sector are taking GHC 559.04, they are paid GHC 800….some are even paid as much as GHC 1000 a month….so they are not even affected in the first place because they are taking more than that. The trivial is that nobody should pay an allowance less than the approved price.”
Meanwhile, President of the National Service Personnel Association in the La Nkwantenang Madina Municipality, Oppong Siaw described the increase as inadequately significant in helping alleviate the economic crisis faced by many of these personnels.
“It took six years for an increment to be made….and looking at our economy situations today, I’ll say it’s not something to write home about. As to whether the amount is significant for a service personnel, I’ll say no.”
–
Story by | Henrietta Owusua | univers.ug.edu.gh
