205 sacked NSS staff sue government

Some 205 recruits of the National Service Scheme whose appointments were terminated by the Secretariat have filed a suit at the Labour High Court challenging their dismissal.

The dismissed staff proceeded with the court action because they claim that there was no board in place to sanction the decision as required by the NSS Act.

However, State Attorneys on Monday asked the court for additional time to file their statement in opposition to the application and also sort leave to file an application for the whole suit to be dismissed because it lacks merit. The Labour Court granted their request and has subsequently adjourned the matter to the 5th of April 2017 for hearing.

The National Service Scheme on Wednesday [February 8. 2017] issued a statement announcing the revocation of the appointments of the 205 recruits.

The statement said, “the management of the National Service Scheme (NSS), has on the advice of the Minister of Education, withdrawn the National Service staff recruitment which was done in December 2016 with immediate effect.”

It added that, “This decision is informed by a thorough consideration of violations of due process prior to recruitment. These included petitions to the Public Services Commission (PSC) against the recruitment process upon which the PSC in a letter dated 16th November, 2016, advised the former Ag. Executive Director to halt the recruitment process until the matter was properly resolved.

This was however ignored and the appointment letters were issued to some persons on 15th December, 2016.”

It also urged the affected persons to look forward to another opportunity when it conducts a proper staff recruitment.

But the immediate past Executive director of the NSS, Dr Michael Kpessah Whyte who said the decision was wrong, urged the persons affected to go to court.