Bolgatanga, March 22, GNA - National Service Personnel in the Upper East Region have threatened to go on a sit-down strike if by Wednesday March 23, the National Service Secretariat (NSS) does not pay them their outstanding allowances for the period January-March 2005.

A statement in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, signed by Mr Henry Fatchu, President, Mr Edem Kodzo Honu, Vice President and Miss Rebecca Yeboa, Women's Commissioner of the Bolgatanga Municipal Secretariat of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), said the intended action was necessary in view of the hardships service personnel in the area were going through.

"The plight of Service Personnel has been worsened by the increased in petroleum prices, which has translated into increases in prices of commodities, foodstuff and transportation," they said.

It called on the authorities at the National Service headquarters to endeavour to make the three-month arrears available to service personnel by the stipulated deadline, "otherwise if all these fail, personnel will have no other option than to take to the streets."