ALMOST THREE MONTHS WITHOUT PAY: HOW THE NDC HAS ABANDONED NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL
By the third month of National Service, one basic expectation should be non-negotiable: payment of allowances. Yet, as of the third month since the commencement of the current service year, not even one evaluation form has been fully processed, let alone allowances paid. This is not an administrative hiccup; it is a systemic failure of governance under the NDC.
National Service Personnel (NSPs) are expected to report to duty daily, contribute to national productivity, and survive on a monthly allowance of about GH₵715, an amount already stretched thin by inflation, high transport fares, and rising food prices. Even this modest allowance has not been paid for two (2) months. The result is predictable and cruel: graduates are working full-time with zero income.
Data from the Ghana Statistical Service consistently show that food inflation and transport costs remain among the highest contributors to household expenditure. In such an economy, delaying allowances for young graduates is not a neutral policy; it is economic violence by neglect. The NDC government’s silence and inaction signal a disturbing indifference to the welfare of those it deploys to keep schools, hospitals, courts, and public offices running.
Many NSPs are stranded. Some guardians have withdrawn support, believing their wards are now “working” and should be self-sufficient. Others borrow to survive, skip meals, or walk long distances to work. This is the lived reality almost three months into service under the NDC. A government that claims to stand for social justice cannot justify two (2) months of unpaid national labour.
This issue is not about politics; it is about competence, priorities, and empathy. The NDC has failed on all three counts. Immediate processing of evaluation forms and prompt payment of arrears are urgent. Anything less deepens poverty among graduates and erodes trust in public service.
Ghana’s future depends on how it treats its young professionals today. The NDC’s current handling of National Service shows a government disconnected from reality. Almost three months without pay is unacceptable. The country must demand better.
By: Blessing Mantey
