NSS Personnel Declare Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Allowances

Quick Summary

 The Concerned National Service Scheme (NSS) Personnel Association of Ghana (CONSPAG) has announced a nationwide strike, effective immediately, demanding the payment of overdue allowances. Citing severe financial hardships including unpaid accommodation, utility bills, and transport costs, the association highlights their contributions to public and private institutions and calls for urgent intervention from stakeholders to resolve the situation.

Full Article

NSS personnel across Ghana have commenced a nationwide strike today, July 3, 2024, organized by the Concerned National Service Scheme (NSS) Personnel Association of Ghana (CONSPAG), to protest the non-payment of their allowances. In a statement dated July 2, 2024, addressed to all NSS personnel, user agencies, and stakeholders, CONSPAG outlined the dire circumstances prompting their decision to embark on strike action. 

Key grievances include the inability to cover accommodation and utility bills, transport expenses to their workplaces, and the financial strain of borrowing money for basic necessities due to unpaid allowances. They also cited the development of health issues resulting from these hardships. 

 According to CONSPAG, the government owes five months' allowances to trainees and three months' allowances to university graduates serving under the NSS program. They criticized the discrepancy between NSS regulations, which sanction personnel for absenteeism after three months, and the reality of working under adverse conditions without compensation for extended periods.

 The association condemned the situation as exploitative, likening it to slavery and asserting that their contributions to national institutions remain unrecognized and undervalued. They emphasized the pivotal role NSS personnel play in the success of both public and private sectors across the country. 

 CONSPAG called upon all stakeholders, including media outlets, political leaders, and traditional authorities, to support their cause and advocate for the immediate payment of their allowances. 

They urged swift intervention to address their financial plight and ensure fair treatment for NSS personnel. The strike action underscores growing discontent among NSS personnel regarding delayed allowances and highlights the urgent need for government intervention to resolve the impasse and restore normalcy in national service operations.