The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has approved a 20% increase in the national service allowance for the 2011/2012 service personnel in the country.

This was revealed by Mr. Ebenezer Edzii, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the national service scheme at the second General Meeting of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) branch of the Tema metropolis.

The 20% increase was announced by Mr. Vincent Kuagbenu, Executive director of the National Service Scheme in September last year during the release of the 2011/2012 postings. The payment of the new allowances, according to Mr. Edzii, will, however, take full effect after a communication from the Accountant’s General has formally informed all regional directors on the increase. Currently, service personnel are receiving a non-taxable allowance of GHc202.90 a month and the 20% increase is expected to leap the allowance to GHc243.48. The regional director also advised the service personnel to work hard and adopt positive working ethics to help achieve the vision of their respective organisations or companies they are engaged in.

Mr. Samuel A. Ankomah, the Metro director of the scheme, hinted that plans are far advanced to organise series of seminars for the service personnel to enhance their employment capacities. He also advised the personnel to strike a good working relationship with their supervisors or managers adding that this may help them to secure employment at the end of their service period.

The president of Tema Metro NASPA, Mr. Eric P. Ofori disclosed that a tour at the Manhyean SDA primary school in the metropolis showed that the roof of the school building has been ripped off. This situation, according to the president, has forced the school children to study in the open.

Dilating further, Mr. Ofori said the association is determined to source funds from companies in the metropolis to re-roof the school building to alleviate the plight of the school children. According to the president, an amount of GHc20, 000 will be need for the project. The financial secretary of Tema Metro NASPA, Mr. Richard Darko, in a budget statement, promised his colleagues of the executive preparedness to initiate and implement policies aimed at building their employment capacities urging them to work hard to project the image of the Tema metropolis.

Bright Habita Focus FM, KNUST/ NSP, GPHA, Corp. Planning