A/R: NSS extends window to register persons who have not done National Service

National Service Secretariat (NSS) has extended a window for people who have not done their national service to register for the 2017 – 2018 service year.

The national service act mandates citizens on completion of higher education, to do two years of national service.

This provision if flouted could attract some severe consequences including refusal of employment and inability to occupy any public office.

Acting Ashanti Regional director of the National Service Scheme Mrs Jenifer Appiah Bempah told Ultimate News’ Thomas Asamoah that the service has arrangements for both already employed and the unemployed to avail themselves of the opportunity to secure a national service certificate.

“All those who couldn’t get the chance to do national service many years back, we are giving them the opportunity to come and register and get their PIN codes to be able to get NSS numbers to do National Service in September and we are doing it from now till the seventeenth of this month.”

“Even if you are working, we can send you back to where you are working, except that we will take ten percent of the national service allowance which is just 35 cedis a month.

At the end of the day we give you your national service certificate so you would not have to encounter the unpleasant situation of being asked to produce your national service certificate and you may not be able to do so,” Mrs Appiah Bempah explained.

The debate about the propriety of the National Service Act has come into question lately after two ministers designate – now minister for gender and social protection Otiko Afisa Djaba and minister of tourism Catherin Afeku – appeared before parliaments’ appointment committee without any records of doing their national service.