The Acting Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Felix Gyamfi, has announced that all outstanding allowances owed to National Service personnel across the country will be paid in full starting today. This follows a directive from President John Mahama aimed at resolving the long-standing delays in payments.
Mr Gyamfi lauded the President for his decisive intervention, stating that John Mahama has consistently demonstrated concern for the welfare of National Service personnel. He emphasized the urgency with which the President acted once the arrears issue was brought to his attention.
“We should commend President John Mahama. Even before becoming president, he expressed concerns about delays in paying service personnel. Now, despite the meagre allowance of ¢715 and the prevailing inflation, he has acted decisively to ensure all arrears are cleared. Once we presented the figures, he immediately directed the payment of the entire backlog,” Gyamfi explained.
The payments, which cover the months of August through December, are expected to bring relief to thousands of personnel who have been struggling financially due to the delayed disbursements.
“Starting today, every service person will begin receiving their full arrears from August to December,” Gyamfi assured, adding that the payments mark a significant milestone in addressing the recurring delays.
Tackling Corruption and Inefficiency
Gyamfi attributed the persistent delays in recent years to systemic corruption and inefficiencies within the NSS. He criticized the mismanagement of funds, which he claimed had deprived service personnel of their rightful allowances.
“Why have these delays persisted? It stems from the corruption and incompetence that plagued the system for years. It’s unacceptable that such a meagre allowance was not paid on time due to these issues,” he lamented.
Under President Mahama’s leadership, Gyamfi highlighted significant progress in curbing corruption and enhancing efficiency within the Scheme.
Plans for Increased Allowances
When asked about the possibility of increasing the current allowance, Gyamfi hinted at ongoing discussions. He assured that the President is committed to improving the welfare of service personnel and exploring ways to allocate saved resources toward a potential increment.
“President Mahama understands the challenges service personnel face. By reducing corruption and mismanagement, we’ve saved substantial resources. The President is already considering how best to channel these savings into improving allowances,” Gyamfi revealed.
Hope for the Future
The news of immediate payments has brought immense relief to service personnel, many of whom have endured months of financial hardship. With the government’s renewed focus on efficiency and anti-corruption measures, Gyamfi expressed optimism about the future of the Scheme.
“We are building a system that service personnel can trust—a system where their allowances are paid on time without fail,” he affirmed.
As the arrears are disbursed, service personnel across the country can now look forward to a more reliable and transparent payment system under the current administration.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com
