The Ghana National Service Authority has assured service personnel that all outstanding allowances from August to December will be paid starting Thursday, February 13.
Acting Director Felix Gyamfi attributed the swift action to President John Mahama’s commitment to addressing the financial struggles of service personnel. Speaking on Joy FM’s PM Express on Wednesday, February 12, he acknowledged the persistent issue of delayed payments and reaffirmed the government’s prioritization of their welfare.
“We should be grateful to President John Mahama. Even before he became president, he had concerns about the delay in payments, especially considering that the service allowance is a meagre ¢715 in the face of serious inflation,” Gyamfi stated.
He explained that once the arrears were presented to the President, he immediately directed their full payment.
“So from tomorrow [February 13], service personnel will start receiving all arrears due them from August, September, October, November, and December,” he confirmed.
Mr Felix Gyamfi blamed the recurring delays on years of corruption and financial mismanagement, which he believes have undermined the stability of the scheme.
“In the last eight years, corruption and incompetence crippled the system. It was hard to understand why service personnel could not receive their meagre allowance on time,” he remarked.
On the possibility of an increment in allowances, Felix Gyamfi revealed that President Mahama is already considering the move.
“Having reduced corruption and inefficiencies within the scheme, I’m sure the President is thinking about whether we can allocate some of the recovered funds towards an increase,” he hinted.
Service personnel have long called for a raise in their ¢715 stipend due to inflation and the rising cost of living. While no timeline has been set, Felix Gyamfi’s remarks suggest that discussions are underway to adjust the allowance to a more sustainable amount.
