NSS to prosecute employers of service defaulters
The National Service Scheme (NSS) will from next year prosecute organisations which employ graduates who have not undertaken national service, according to its Executive Director, Mr Vincent Kuagbenu.
The scheme is currently working with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to collate details of all organisations and their employee lists to enable it to proceed with legal action against any company found culpable.
According to Mr Kuagbenu, Act 426 (1980), which establishes the scheme, required that all corporate bodies, whether public or private demand national service certificates before offering employment to all graduates.
Mr Kuagbenu disclosed this when he announced the release of some 68,210 persons to undertake their national service for the 2012/2013 service year.
He said the scheme was committed to reviving its core mission to mobilise and deploy Ghanaian citizens of 18 years and above for national development.
In that direction, he said his office was going to ensure that all and sundry adhered to the law.
Out of the figure deployed this year, 46,896 representing 69 per cent are heading for the education sector.
That, Mr Kuagbenu said, was in line with the government’s commitment to enhance human resource development through quality education.
He said the remaining 8,249, representing 12 per cent, were being deployed to the health sector while another 8,004 persons would be rendering their service in the ministries, departments and agencies (MMDAs).
The remaining 5,061 representing seven per cent, he said, would work with private institutions who had put in requests for national service persons.
Prospective persons would start work from Monday, the 10th of September to Saturday 31st of August, 2013.
The NSS boss said the service calendar for this year was starting one month earlier than previous years to afford those posted to schools to report early for the beginning of the academic year.
“It is also to give personnel the opportunity to attain the highest level of practical training from their various centres of work,” he said.
This, according to Mr Kuagbenu, was one of the major motives behind the establishment of the scheme.
On the welfare arrangement for this year’s service persons, he said the government had increased the monthly allowance from GH¢140 two years back to GH¢240 currently and was still working round the clock to ensure that the package was enhanced.
Mr Kuagbenu warned that the NSS would be forced to crack the whip on persons who engaged in any act contrary to the terms of engagement.
He mentioned absenteeism, self-posting and the deserting of post, among other things, by persons as some of the acts deemed as illegal.
He said the office would employ all punitive measures to ensure that all individuals found to have indulged in any such act were brought to book.
Out of the total figure, the Greater Accra Region would receive the highest number of persons of up to 14,000 with the Upper East and West regions having to manage the least of a little below 4,000.
Source: Daily Graphic