National Service Scheme saga: Drop that cloth!

It’s very sad how we live in a democratic country yet unscrupulous ways of imposing things on the Ghanaian youth are what we see.

I believe there are so many channels to communicate to the National Service Personnel, so why this hasty decision which you know perfectly well is going to stir up controversies. We are not perturbed about the amount the National Service Secretariat is demanding for the issuance of the “cloth”.

The problem is they impose it on us, I never knew personnel was mandated to purchase cloth against our will, wait did I say mandated?…. I never knew the NSS could forcefully twist our arms into purchasing cloth which I personally believe has been bloated and geared towards the fattening of pockets of some individuals.

This is highly uncalled for, this is frivolous, this lacks sentiments, and this is highly disrespectful to the demeanor of all National Service Personnel across the country.

Per the National Service Scheme act 1980 (act 426) of the National Service Rules and Regulations, the objectives of the scheme is to;

1. Encourage the spirit of national service among ALL segments of Ghanaian society in the effort of nation-building through active participation.

2. Undertake projects designed to combat hunger, illiteracy, disease, and unemployment in Ghana.

3. Help provide essential services and amenities, particularly in towns and villages of the rural areas of Ghana.

4. Develop skilled manpower through practical training.

5. Promote national unity and strengthen the bonds of common citizenship among Ghanaians.

From the above, I don’t see how or what pushes the secretariat to impose a compulsory cloth on us. We are rejecting the proposed National Service Cloth, they can use the right channels if they want us to buy a National Service cloth. The 559.04 is our monthly stipend and we decide what we want to do with it.

Talking about 559.04, this hardly flows on a regular. Instead of using your office to make sure all service personnel are okay and living fully to expectations you’re rather putting in place dubious plans to extort us of the money which we don’t even receive on time. We’re in a new month but February allowance has been delayed, as usual, we’re no more surprised because that has been the norm since we started our service year.

A lot of us struggle to meet our targets due to the irregular flow of the monthly stipend. Most of us walk to our place of work irrespective of the distance, most of us face challenges from our landlords due to late payments of rent. Yet your office takes priority in forcefully exploiting us instead of making our lives comfortable enough to serve the Nation wholeheartedly.

I’ll entreat each and every National Service Personnel to stand with me as we back the clarion call for the Scheme to use the appropriate means of selling cloth to us. We have able executives that were duly elected by us the NSP. You can’t just sideline them and decide to exploit us.

#UBUNTU: I am because we are.

My Name is Adongo, Kennedy.

(0546294268)

I’m not just a concerned National Service Person, I’m a worried one as well. Let’s make democracy work in this Great Nation of ours.

#DROP_THAT_CLOTH