They want the insurance payment to be optional and not mandatory for all service personnel.

[contextly_sidebar id=”WWJ2HfCHUexVMljGdzehHMgB6V3eyflL”]Following the launch of the insurance package earlier in November, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Ussif Mustapha, in a circular this week, directed all regional directors to deduct GH¢ 15 from the GH¢559 monthly allowances of service personnel beginning this month.

But speaking to Citi News, the NASPA president for Awutu Senya Municipal, Luis Kwame Anane said the decision is arbitrary and must be reviewed.

“Even though it is a congress decision, all the service personnel are against it. I suggest that the outgoing NSS and the necessary stakeholders listen but if they want to face the outrage of personnel of people picketing and refusing to go to work and cause that mayhem before they react, it will be bad because they need to be proactive.”

“Listen to the voice of the people. When you look at accommodation and employment issues of personnel, delay in [payment of] allowances and all that, they should look at policies that that will address these concerns. That is what they should focus on,” he said.

About the NSS Insurance Package

The NSS partnered with MTN and Glico Life Insurance, earlier this week, to launch the life insurance cover for the over 90,000 personnel.

This compulsory insurance package, spearheaded by various insurance companies, is expected to pay claims to service personnel who get involved in accidents in their line of duty.

The claims vary from GH¢ 15,000 in cases of death or incapacitation and GH¢3,000 for cases of disability.

As part of the insurance package, National Service personnel are entitled to a GH¢ 500 loan which is payable within six months.

But some service personnel have kicked against the package, saying that it is being imposed on them. According to them, they were not informed about the package before it was formally launched.

They also expressed disappointment that it was not made optional but compulsory.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Compulsory NSS insurance must be reviewed – NASPA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A statement issued by the Executive Director of the Scheme, Mustapha Ussif on Tuesday, said the validation comes as a follow-up exercise to their reforms in the E-zwich payment system.

[contextly_sidebar id=”DyqZi5RZDbIsZgtXkpwuiKw3aYuWuK1D”]The statement said all personnel are required to complete the validation process by Monday, May 15, 2017.

“All national service personnel are therefore expected to obtain validation forms from the district secretariats of the NSS, fill them with their respective heads of departments, and personally submit them to the district secretariats by Monday, 15th May, 2017 to complete the validation process.”

“It is important for national service personnel to note that, anyone who is not validated by the stipulated date, will be considered nonexistent and therefore, WILL NOT be paid his/her allowance,” the statement added.

In a related development, the Management of the Scheme, has expressed their readiness to work with the newly elected national executives of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA).

The new executives were elected at the just ended National Delegates Congress at Koforidua over the weekend.

A statement signed by the Deputy Executive Director in charge of Finance and Administration, Gifty Oware-Aboagye, said management is looking forward to a cordial working relationship with the new executives.

It further advised that, they “live above individual and parochial interests and make the interests of the entire membership of NASPA their priority.”

The new executives are;  Philip Burberry Quaye (President), Adam Mohammed Hardi (General Secretary), Thonney Aidoo (Financial Secretary), James K. Bamaalazone (Organizing Secretary), and Gloria Offei Addo (Women Commissioner).

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NSS personnel ordered to validate names or lose allowances appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Reports widely circulated on social media on Friday, March 24, 2017 suggested that the secretariat had effected an allowance increase from GHs350 to GHs430.

According to the secretariat, it is still engaging parliament on the approval of its budget for 2017 which captures an expected increment.

In a statement issued by the Deputy Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Gifty Oware-Aboagye said: “The scheme will in due course communicate officially to the General public and our cherished personnel on the outcome of our engagements with Parliament over our budget and increments in service allowances specifically.”

Service personnel in the country are expectant of an increment in allowances from the current GHs350 to GHs559.

The previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in December 2016 announced an increment to GHs559 for service personnel but the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government after assuming office in January 2017 said it could not effect the increment because it was not captured in it’s budget.

Read the full statement below:

NATIONAL SERVICE ALLOWANCES AND MATTERS ARISING

The Management of the National Service Scheme is asking national service personnel and the general public to disregard news making rounds that National Service Personnel Allowances have been increased from GH¢350.00 to GH¢430.00.

Management wishes to state that increment in National Service allowances featured prominently in the Scheme’s budget which is currently before Parliament for appropriation.

The Scheme will therefore, in due course, communicate officially to the general public and our cherished service personnel on the outcome of our engagements with Parliament over our budget and increment in personnel allowances specifically.

Management wishes to reiterate its commitment to ensuring that the utmost interest of service personnel is protected in all engagements over increment in service personnel allowances.

Thank you.

SIGND.
GIFTY OWARE-ABOAGYE
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION)

–
By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ve not increased service allowance – NSS appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said he as handed over the keys to his office and keys to his official car to the management.

In a tweet on Friday, January 6, the former lecturer expressed his appreciation to the management of the scheme and thanked former President, John Mahama for the opportunity to service in the office.

Just met with Management of National Service Scheme.Thanked them for their service to Ghana. Handed over office keys and car. Grateful JDM.

— Michael Kpessa-Whyte (@kpessawhyte) January 6, 2017

Kpessah Whyte, who was also a Presidential staffer in the John Mahama administration, took over leadership of the NSS in October 2014, following a massive corruption scandal that hit the scheme that year.

The former Executive Director, Alhaji Alhasan Imoro, and 26 others, were interdicted over some GHC7.9 million that was paid to 22,612 non-existent national service persons in more than 100 districts in July 2014.

Following his assumption of office as the acting executive director, he instituted a number of measures to prevent any such manipulation of the scheme’s system.

Among the changes, he ensured as the scheme’s head, was an increase of National Service allowance from GH¢243 to GH¢350 and subsequently to GH¢559 in December 2016.

Models such as the Urban traffic management programme and urban waste management programmes, were introduced as part of options for prospective national service personnel.

Among the reforms, Dr. Kpessah Whyte introduced, were the early registration for service personnel and biometric registration, to facilitate monitoring and ensure efficient disbursement of monthly allowances.

Dr. Kpessah Whyte, while serving as NSS boss, contested the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries for the Shai Osudoku constituency seat, but lost to Desmond William Ocloo, who beat Kpessah-Whyte and the incumbent David Tetteh-Assumeng who had been in parliament since 2004.

The demise of Mr Ocloo resulted in another parliamentary primaries that saw Kpessah Whyte being defeated again by the wife of the late Mr. Ocloo.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post I’ve handed over office and car keys – NSS boss appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According managers of the scheme the recruitment was done in accordance with due process.

The Secretariat also said the recent increase in the allowance for national service personnel was not a hasty political decision.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Secretariat on Friday.

“The vacant positions were widely advertised in various Ghanaian newspapers, on the Scheme’s website, and on social media. Eligible applicants were therefore shortlisted, interviews were conducted and successful applicants were accordingly given appointment letters in line with the ethics of the public service,” the statement added.

The National Service Secretariat (NSS) has come under heavy criticism after it recently recruited new staff and announced a 60% increment in monthly allowance for service personnel.

Some commentators said the recent actions were deliberate attempts by the managers of the National Service Scheme were politically motivated to frustrate the plans of the incoming New Patriotic Party government which takes office on January 7, 2017.

According to the managers of NSS, “Management, acting on the directives of the National Service Board, secured technical clearance from the Public Services Commission and financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.”

“The process to consider an upward adjustment of personnel allowances began in April, 2016 when the National Service Board gave approval for discussions towards a new rate for the personnel allowances.”

“The increment of the personnel allowances to GH¢559.04 was arrived at by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in the light of the fact that personnel allowances were calculated at 40 per cent of the graduate entry level on the 2017 Single Spine Salary Structure for 2017. Unfortunately, this fact has been lost in most of the public discussions on the matter,” it said.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Staff recruitment, allowance increment not political – NSS appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The leadership of the association in a statement issued on Tuesday said the move was a demonstration of good faith on the part of the managers of the scheme in dealing with numerous challenges service personnel in the country face.

The Finance Ministry in a letter made public this week indicated it had approved a request from the National Service Secretariat for an increment in the allowances of service personnel.

The review of the allowance translates into a 60 percent upward adjustment which takes effect from January 2017.

Service personnel across the country are now to receive a monthly allowance of GH¢559 from the GH¢350 they currently receive.

According to NASPA, it was appreciated that their concerns and demands for the increment at various stakeholder meetings had finally been heeded to.

“We welcome the move and we are highly optimistic that this will help reduce the numerous challenges the Service Personnel encounter all over the country and especially Greater Accra,” the statement signed by Kojo S.A Danquah, the President of the Association said.

The personnel, while congratulating the incoming government led by the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo on winning the just ended Presidential elections, expressed hope that he would effectively govern the country in a way that will effectively tackle the various challenges service personnel across the country face.

“We also use this opportunity to congratulate the President-elect Nana  Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo and NPP. Our prayers and support are with them and we sincerely hope they greatly administer the affairs of this country and the challenges that cloud personnel’s service to mother Ghana.”

‘NSS allowance increase in bad taste’

Meanwhile, some Ghanaians have expressed dissatisfaction over the decision to increase allowances for service personnel.

They argue that the decision, which comes barely two weeks before the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government exits office, is to put the incoming NPP administration through economic difficulties.

There are about 70,000 NSS personnel currently serving in various institutions in the private and public sector.

The post Service personnel grateful for 60% allowance increase appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Government on Tuesday announced a 60 percent increase in allowances of service personnel effective January 2017. The announcement implies that each personnel who received GHc350 each month will now go home with GHc559.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Quarshigah who is also the Member of Parliament for the Keta Constituency and a member on the Public Accounts Committee said the amount will help NSS personnel manage their economic lives.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3CqcoS5PrWSDvQl8cjD0WQxHJ4YAIU8n”]“Clearly the allowances of national service personnel must be good news for the personnel and the young people of this country. The fact that a new government is coming does not necessarily mean that some deliberate mischief is being done to tie the hands of the incoming administration. We’ve had a situation in 2008 when the NPP administration was exiting office and we saw contracts being signed to the point that a very major policy was introduced that was the single spine salary structure which in itself was something that a lot of people saw as not being appropriate at the time because it was signed just few hours to the government handing over.”

Mr. Quarshigah also rejected claims that the decision will over burden the incoming government and argued that the NPP could review the policy if it’s too much for it.

“If they think the allowance given the national service personnel is inappropriate or too much and the public purse cannot bare it, they should have room to do a review and they must be able to explain to Ghanaians why they are doing a downward review of an earlier decision taken by the previous government. So there is no tying of hands in this,” he argued.

Uproar over last minute contract

The NPP had raised concerns over some supposed last minute contracts and appointments being initiated by the outgoing NDC government urging it to refrain from that.

But functionaries of the NDC have defended the actions saying they have done no wrong since they are still in power until they finally transfer power to the NPP on January 7, 2017.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Review NSS allowance if you can’t pay – MP to NPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This follows an agreement by the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC).
The Committee in a communique dated September 13, 2016 said the increment was an across-the-board salary increase.

The Communique was signed by jointly signed by the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission George Smith Graham and General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Dr Yaw Baah.

Some Ghanaians have questioned government’s decision to increase salaries with just two weeks to leave office.

They have opined that the decision was malicious and a deliberate attempt to frustrate the economic plans of the incoming government but the Mahama-led administration has insisted the move had long been planned and has nothing to do with the incoming government.

‘NSS allowance increased’

In a related development, government has announced a 60% increase in the allowance for National Service Personnel (NSS) across the country.

A letter sighted by citifmonline.com indicates the Ministry of Finance had approved the increment from the current GHs350 to GHs559.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Gov’t approves 12.5% salary increase for workers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.