You and I are beneficiaries of national service scheme; pay them the delayed allowance – Mahama tells Akufo-Addo

Former President John Dramani Mahama has asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to a matter of urgency, pay the arrears of National Service personnel in the country.

The former President expressed concern noting that he and President Akufo-Addo have all gone through the same process and benefited from the scheme.

His concerns follow the complaints by NSS personnel over the government’s failure to pay for March and April.

Meanwhile, the National Service Scheme in a statement issued on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, announced the payment of its personnel the January outstanding allowances.

The statement also gave the assurance that the management of the scheme had laid down advance steps to pay subsequent allowances on time.

However, after months of government assurance, personnel of the NSS is yet to receive their outstanding arrears.

“I empathize with National Service personnel today. We have all passed through the scheme before. Please pay them the arrears of their allowances” he demands.

Similarly, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has criticized the government for failing to pay National Service Personnel their allowances and described the government’s delay in releasing funds to clear the arrears as ‘unfair’ and ‘insensitive’.

He thus questioned how the government expects the vulnerable personnel, most of whom he said have been posted far away from home to survive under the current cost of living crisis.

Schooling the ruling government that “they [NSPs] signed up for National Service not National Suffering.”