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Release
CodgaGha, April 02, 2013
The National Service Board Must Reconsider Its Decision!
The National Service Scheme was established by a Military Decree
(N.R.C.D 208) with the mandate to mobilize and deploy Ghanaian
citizens of 18 years and above especially newly qualified
university graduates on national priority development programmes
that contribute to improving the quality of life of the ordinary
Ghanaian for a one year mandatory national service. The scheme
was later given statutory legitimacy under the 1979 constitution
of Ghana with the thrust of N.R.C.D 208 being upheld. The
National Service Act of 1980, ACT 426 was then promulgated and
passed by the Parliament of Ghana to give legal and
constitutional backing to the scheme.
Whilst we are aware of the legal framework and direction for
program design and implementation, we believe section 3 of Act
426((a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h)) has not being fully
exploited. It therefore came as a surprise when the National
Service Executive Director, Mr. Vincent Senam Kuagbenu announced
at this years’ 2013-2014 pre-service orientation forum of the
services’ decision to use national service personnel as traffic
wardens to support the Motor Traffic And Transport Unit Of The
Ghana Police Service.
We are however worried by this decision by the National Service
Board! Looking at the current state of Ghana’s economy we
believe the Ghanaian graduate student deserves better than to
stand in the precarious conditions on our roads to direct
traffic. It has become obvious that the scheme no longer thinks
about the safety of service personnel left alone giving priority
to ones area of specialization in order for the nation to
benefit from ones knowledge acquire in school.
We are therefore calling on the National Service Board, Council
of State, and the Ministry of Education which has an oversight
responsibility in the scheme to have a relook at this decision;
considering the personnel’ safety, career development, comfort,
and the developmental needs of the country at large.
Graduates are being under utilized! CODGHA is therefore calling
on all Civil Society Groups, Graduate Students Association of
Ghana, NUGS, USAG, PUSAG, GNUPS, GUPS, and the Media to support
this course for a brighter future for ourselves, siblings and
posterity.
God bless Mother Ghana!!!
Signed:
Agyei Kwame Williams (Executive Director) 0571104010
CodgaGha, April 02, 2013
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