A group calling itself, Concerned National Service Personnel of Ghana (CNSPG), has revealed that the compulsory insurance package introduced by the National Service Secretariat as an illegal and therefore calling on the Secretariat to withdraw the policy immediately.

Background

The National Service Scheme (NSS) on Wednesday November 1, 2017, launched an insurance package for all national service personnel.

The launch, which was held at the premises of the scheme’s headquarters, had NSS Board Members and National Service Personnel Association executives and other stakeholders in attendance.

This compulsory insurance package spearheaded by various insurance companies, is expected to pay claims to service personnel who get involved in accidents in their line of duty.

The claims vary from GHc 15,000 in cases of death or incapacitation, and gh3,000 for cases of temporary disability.

As part of the insurance package, National Service personnel are entitled to a GHc 500 loan which is payable within six months.

Service Personnel will also be charged GHc 15 on a monthly basis as insurance deductions for the package.

According to the acting Director for the National Service Scheme, Mustapha Ussif, “the insurance package that we just launched… from today on wards, all national service personnel are supposed to be rolled up into this process.

So we are expecting all national service personnel because this is a very laudable initiative [since] we have received series of requests from national service persons across the country with respect to injuries and sometimes even death.”

In a press statement issued on November 4, 2017 by the group, indicated that the Secretariat cannot impose an insurance package on them and therefore calling on the Secretariat to stop deducting any money from their allowances.

"NSS have no right to deduct our money, NSS cannot impose an insurance policy on us and NSS cannot decide for us".

"We therefore call upon all National Service Personnel to oppose this National Service Insurance Policy against by openly speaking against attempt to deduct money from our allowance and demonstrate for making the policy optional and not mandatory".

According to the group, Service Personnel in the private sector were paid their allowance at the end of the month without delay but allowances of those in the public sector were delayed for two months and some have still not been paid and instead of NSS to address this, they are rather developing means to deduct the little money Service Personnel receive.

Below is the full statement

NSS CANNOT IMPOSE INSURANCE POLICY ON US
- CONCERNED NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL

The National Service Scheme has launched a mandatory insurance policy to deduct money every month from the non-taxable allowance it pays to service personnel despite national service personnel being against it. We the Concerned National Service Personnel find it absolutely illegal for NSS to enter into an insurance contract on our behalf.

It will be recalled that the so called National Service Insurance was introduced by the national executives of NASPA led by Mr. Philip Quaye at a mini congress in May 2017 which is considered to be the highest decision making body according to the NASPA Constitution.

The insurance policy was however faced with stiff opposition as most service personnel who completed their one-year service this year refused to allow their money to be deducted.

The National Service Scheme yesterday launched the illegal insurance policy so called National Service Insurance Policy. According to the Executive Director of NSS, all service personnel would pay a monthly premium of GHC15 to benefit from the insurance policy of which service personnel who suffer permanent or temporary disability through accidents during the service year will be entitled to GHc15000 insurance cover.

The discriminatory aspect is also that, only those in the subvented category will be affected and those who are in the non-subvented category will not be affected.

We are of the view that if NSS have made their hisense package optional, they should also make the insurance policy optional for only those who are interested to apply. Is it not preposterous for executives who are not service personnel to agree to a deal of which they themselves will not be affected?

We demand the following questions from NSS.
1. Does NSS know that they do not have the right to enter into an insurance policy on our behalf?

2. Is it not discriminatory for only those in the subvented category to be affected?

3. Will they refund the money if nothing happens to service personnel?

4. What happened to the consultation of service personnel before introducing this policy?

5. How can executives who are no longer service personnel agree to that deal on our behalf?

6. Will NSS refund the money they have deducted if nothing happens to the service personnel?

Service personnel in the private sector were paid their allowance at the end of the month without delay but allowances of those in the public sector were delayed for two months and some have still not been paid. Instead of NSS to address this, they are rather developing means to deduct the little money service personnel receive.

After delaying our allowance for two months, what next?

NSS have no right to deduct our money
NSS cannot impose an insurance policy on us
NSS cannot decide for us

We therefore call upon all National Service Personnel to oppose this National Service Insurance Policy against by openly speaking against attempt to deduct money from our allowance and demonstrate for making the policy optional and not mandatory.

.....SINGED.....

Emmanuel Asenso Adusei
0241068977
Accra Metro

Joel S. Ndede
0543257294
Accra Metro

Abdul Razak Masawood
0244425478
East Akim District

Samuel Owusu Manu
0247221076
Kumasi Metro

Edmund Yeboah
0544250377
Mampong Municipal

Kanyiti Saburu Kantama
0540206233
West Gonja District (Damongo)


Djadja Koranteng Isaac
Ashma
0241587956

Azeez Adeshina Oscar
Hohoe Municipal
0542995579