NSS reacts to allegations of delay in service allowances

Accra, Nov. 6, GNA - The Greater Accra National Service Secretariat (NSS) on Monday described as unfortunate allegations that it had invested arrears of allowances for 2005/6 service personnel into Treasury Bills.

Reacting to the allegations made last week by a group of service personnel calling itself the Coalition of Immediate Payment (CIP), Mr Kwame Fosu Agyen, the Regional Coordinator of the Secretariat told the sometime this month.

"There has not been any undue delay, the process is being followed and if anything at all, personnel are likely to receive their arrears allowances earlier than the previous year group.

Last year the arrears of the 2004/2005-year group were paid in December 2005, after completing the service in August that year. Mr Agyen also denied that the NSS had paid the arrears of personnel who were posted to private institutions and explained that those working with such institutions received theirs from the respective organizations and not from NSS.

He condemned the actions of the CIP members and said they constituted a handful of the personnel who invaded the premises of the Greater Accra Regional NSS office last Friday to cause confusion.

Mr Agyen said they came to disrupt postings procedure amidst singing of profane songs and in the process heckled one of Secretariat officials.

Explaining the procedure for approving adjustments in service allowances as a result of government increases in salaries and allowances, he said the Secretariat forwarded its proposals in July/August this year. He said at present, it was waiting on the Ministry of Finance to forward it to the Controller and Accountant General to issue an expenditure authorisation before the cheque could be prepared at the Bank of Ghana. He said information gathered by the NSS suggested that the payment was likely to be made sometime next week. 06 Nov. 06