Rejoinder-Rot at NSS: Former Director grabs five mansions

Our attention has been drawn to a publication by the Daily Guide and replicated on Ghanaweb online on the 30th October, 2014 on that matter of the NSS rot. The said publication contained allegations of corrupt practices by a Former National Director of the National Service Scheme. Whereas we are not in good standing to confirm or deny most of the allegation against the Former Executive Director, and verily not doing so, an issue in the publication bothers on our leadership as Former National Executives of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) for the periods between 2009/12 and we seek to clarify it. 

The paper reported that the Former Executive Director “caused deductions to be made from allowance of National Service Personnel for entrepreneurial training, which never took place but an amount of GH? 60,000 that was deducted was never accounted for”. For the avoidance of doubt, the paper ought to have stated the year under consideration since the leadership of the former NSS boss last for almost 4 years- period between 2009 to 2013. Being left in the realm of speculation and to the fate of the weapon provided by the lack of clarity and certainty of date in the stated allegation, we are forced, for the sake of TRUTH, POSTERITY and the COUNTRY to state the facts.

We wish to state that, there was never any deduction from the allowance of service personnel for any entrepreneurial training during the years under review (2009-2012). In fact, the leadership of personnel would not have condoned such a decision by the former NSS boss. Our call for increase in monthly allowance, which was a paltry GH? 202.90, would have been a contradiction to any move that sanctions such a deduction by the executives. We would however note that an entrepreneurship and leadership training was organized but at the instance and sponsorship of the Association from the dues of personnel at National and Regional levels. The training was facilitated by Empretec Ghana at a cost of GH? 18, 480.00 whiles accommodation, feeding, media and other associated cost amounted to additional GH? 17, 927.00. The training came off between 16th and 19th May, 2011 in Kumasi. At no point in time were deductions made from the allowance of service personnel for the training or any other purposes. 

We want to put on record that we support any move to rid-off ghost personnel from the scheme that would allow better utilization of resources for the benefit of ‘real personnel’. We also appreciate the effort by the media to expose corrupt practices of any public office holder. In so doing, we would help in providing accurate information so that the issues could be presented as they are. It is our firm belief that this will help clear the erroneous impression that personnel allowances have been used for the wrong purposes.

God bless Ghana!!!

….signed….

Abdul-Kabiru Tiah Mahama

(Former President, NASPA-2010/11)

0202465189/0248721670

For: Coalition of Former NASPA National Executives