Most challenges of NSP are traceable to govt and the laziness of National unions of students. While inadequate allowances are a major problem, it is important to state that personnels problems go beyond this.
Surprisingly, governments over the years seem to be oblivious of these challe
nges and not NUGS or USAG seem to have the solutions either. Corruption remains a key challenge. The headlines of Ghana's Daily Graphic within these few days explains it all. Directors of NSS in various districts dolling out various sums of monies to the BNI to conceal their evil deeds which has cost the tax payer GH 7.9m in Just a month.
So I took time off to experience what new personnels go through. And I must say the experience is shocking and demoralizing. Northern and Volta regions taught me bitter lessons and provoked the writing of this piece.
National sevice Personnel go through fire to 'service' their nation. Officials at various NSS are unfriendly and treat service personnels with disdain. Just a simple question of enquiry irritates the officers. Yet,there are no notices that direct or answer these questions.
Making issues worse for students, personnels are made to travel to regional capitals of their postings to register. Why must this be the practice? In this age of science and technology, where things are done easier, faster and simpler, personnels are made to travel several kilometers only to register. This remains a puzzle. Such a system, practice and policy is not only frustrating but also a perfect means of meandering the very purpose for the establishment of the National Service Scheme. Personnels sleep at regional registration centers in order to be able to register before the deadline. I got to Tamale at 4:15am and fifteen minutes later,I was at the regional scretariat to be the forty-seven person in the queue. I met students from almost all tertiary institutions all over Ghana. Most pathetic scenario was that, after registration personnels would have to carry their luggage and start the journey to their places of posting. So, take for instance a student who completed University of Ghana or Cape Coast University and has been posted to a village in Kpandai in the Northern Region. These personnels would have to go and register at Tamale NSS before proceeding to his or place of posting.Can you imagine the frustration?
And why must personnels be made to pay registration fees? What does it cover? How should personnels fund this registration while they are unemployed? What is the purpose of the registration fee? Surprisingly, the NSS has no policy of paying or refunding transportation cost of personnels to their places of postings.
And NUGS that is expected to champion the cause of students by making concrete suggestions to government and stakeholders to address these challenges remain only interested in drowning itself in unnecessary court wranglings and its leaders using their positions to prepare themselves for national politics. There is now so much doubt about the veracity of NUGS whether it still exist to continue to discharge its traditional duties or will remain an organization that its leaders will continue to exploit for their whimsical and parochial interests. In unequivocal expressions, NUGS has failed the students of Ghana and there is no signal that it is going to be better in the days to come. I have a compelling haste to keep asking what relevance is NUGS to the Ghanaian student today. NUGS must act swiftly and begin once again to feverntly serve the interests of students. NUGS leadership must wake up from their slumber and give meaning to student activism once more. All students expect NUGS to busy itself with addressing problems confronting them including ensuring that National Service Personnels are not subjected to such ordeals.
The Sleeping NUGS MUST WAKE UP!Ghanaian Students abreeeeee, National Service Personnels Deserve Better.
RAYMOND AMEDZE,UG.
(0246747514)
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