The single sharpest fact in one or two punchy sentences. Who did what, where, when, and why it matters. Not a summary of everything — the one thing that makes someone stop scrolling.
Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, is calling on the National Service Authority (NSA) to discontinue a capacity-building programme aimed at national service personnel. The programme saw a GH¢60 deduction from the allowances of some personnel, who argued that they were not adequately consulted before the deductions were made.
According to Braimah, the leadership of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) made the decision to deduct GH¢60 from the allowances of national service personnel for the capacity building programme. However, the decision has been met with opposition from some personnel who argue that their monthly allowance of GH¢715 is already inadequate to meet basic needs.
The controversy surrounding the capacity building programme led to the suspension of the programme by the leadership of NASPA, pending a comprehensive review. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, 21 July, Braimah urged the NSA leadership to terminate the arrangement and expressed concerns over the circumstances surrounding the deductions.
A forensic audit conducted following the National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal cited unsupported payments of GH¢9,276,535.00 to NASPA, indicating that significant payments were made to the association during the period. The audit further found that there were no formal agreements or memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the NSS and NASPA defining the terms, purpose, scope, and conditions under which the funds were transferred.
GH¢9,276,535.00: The amount of money cited as being paid to NASPA in the forensic audit. This amount is significant, considering the monthly allowance of national service personnel is GH¢715.
The National Service Authority (NSA) has, however, stated that it did not authorise any deductions from the allowances of national service personnel. According to the Authority, the GH¢60 deduction for capacity building was a decision taken by the leadership of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), rather than the NSA.
Abdul Wahab Bala Mohammed, the President of NASPA, announced the immediate suspension of the Capacity Building Programme pending a comprehensive review, following public criticism of the deductions.
Sulemana Braimah's call for the NSA leadership to terminate the capacity building programme and refund deductions made from the allowances of national service personnel is timely, given the controversy surrounding the programme. As the country continues to grapple with the challenges faced by national service personnel, it is imperative for the NSA leadership to take a closer look at the capacity building programme and ensure that it is beneficial to the personnel.
And, the NSA leadership must ensure that any deductions made from the allowances of national service personnel are done in accordance with the law and that the personnel are adequately consulted before such deductions are made.
The National Service Scheme (NSS) has been facing several challenges in recent times, including the NSS scandal which led to the sacking of several officials. However, the capacity building programme aimed at national service personnel is a welcome development, but must be carried out in a transparent and accountable manner.
The NSA leadership must also ensure that the capacity building programme is not used as a means of making deductions from the allowances of national service personnel, but rather as a means of improving their skills and enhancing their productivity.
In conclusion, the call by Sulemana Braimah for the NSA leadership to terminate the capacity building programme and refund deductions made from the allowances of national service personnel is a welcome development. The NSA leadership must take a closer look at the capacity building programme and ensure that it is beneficial to the personnel.