The National Service Scheme (NSS) Secretariat has announced that about 170,000 to 180,000 national service persons will be posted to undertake their compulsory service to the nation.
This comes after the government's approval of an upward adjustment of the monthly allowance from GH¢559 to GH¢715.
Ambrose Enstiwah Jnr, Acting Director of Corporate Affairs at the NSS Secretariat, acknowledged that this increase in the allowance will be a significant cost to the state.
He emphasized the importance of setting the allowance at a level that both the state and the private sector can afford to pay, as service personnel posted to the private sector will also receive the same allowance.
He said, “That is a huge cost to the state. Let us also not forget that whatever we decide to pay to the service personnel, for those who are going to be posted to the private sector, the private sector will have to pay the same. So if you are not careful and you peg it at a level where they cannot pay that means they cannot take service personnel at all.”
The adjustment in the allowance will take effect from January 2023, and all national service personnel who are currently in active service will be entitled to arrears for the difference in the upward adjustment.
The NSS Secretariat urged all service personnel to be patient as the necessary administrative processes are being concluded to ensure timely payment of the arrears.
