Joel Kofi, a citizen has criticized Osei Assibey Antwi, the Executive Director of the National Secretariat Service (NSS), for failing to ensure that the 2023/24 NSS personnel receive their allowances as scheduled.
In a post on the X platform, Joel Kofi expressed concern that NSS personnel working with government institutions have not received their allowances since they began their mandatory service in November 2023.
He questioned how Osei Assibey Antwi could sleep comfortably at night while many Ghanaian graduates suffer from hunger in their efforts to serve their nation patriotically.
“This is Mr. Osei Assibey, the National service boss. Papa, do you sleep comfortably at night, knowing fully well that you are starving young people? From November 2023 to March 2024, not even a penny. How wicked can a man be?” he quizzed.
This is Mr. Osei Assibey, the National service boss.
Papa, do you sleep comfortably at night, knowing fully well that you are starving young people?
From November 2023 to March 2024, not even a penny.
How wicked can a man be?#PayNSSAllawaNow pic.twitter.com/nR3fFwGG8o— Chief Joel Kofi (@ChiefJoelKofi1) March 11, 2024
The National Service Secretariat called for calm in January of this year as agitation among 2023/2024 service personnel increased due to the Secretariat’s inability to pay their monthly allowances.
Ambrose Entsiwah Junior, the Acting Head of Corporate Affairs for the National Service Scheme, explained to Citi News that the Secretariat is awaiting approval of their budget from Parliament.
He said, “It depends on the money that we receive at any point in time. Let’s not forget that we have submitted our budget to parliament like every other institution for appropriation to be done. And so once those things have been completed and funds have been released into our account, which includes salaries and payment of allowances and all that, we will pay the service personnel.”
Two months later, it appears Parliament is yet to approve the budget for the NSS for payment to be made.