The Acting Director of the Ghana National Service Authority, Felix Gyamfi, has assured all National Service personnel that their outstanding allowances will be fully disbursed starting tomorrow. This follows a directive from President John Mahama aimed at resolving the prolonged delay in payments.
Speaking on Joy FM’s PM Express on Wednesday, February 12, Gyamfi commended the President for his swift intervention. He noted that Mahama has always prioritized timely payments for service personnel, even before assuming office.
“We should appreciate President John Mahama. Even before becoming President, he expressed concerns about delays in paying service personnel, especially considering that the current allowance of ¢715 is quite low in the face of rising inflation. Once we presented the figures to him, he immediately ordered the complete payment of all arrears,” Gyamfi stated.
He confirmed that allowances owed from August to December will be cleared, bringing long-awaited relief to thousands of personnel.
“Starting tomorrow, all service personnel will begin receiving their arrears from August, September, October, November, and December,” he assured.
Gyamfi attributed the recurring delays in payments to systemic corruption and inefficiencies, which he believes have deprived personnel of their rightful allowances over the years.
“Why has this situation persisted? Over the last eight years, corruption and incompetence have played a major role. It’s baffling why service personnel, who receive only a modest allowance, would still experience unnecessary payment delays,” he lamented.
When questioned about a potential increase in the current allowance, Gyamfi hinted at President Mahama’s commitment to improving conditions for service personnel.
“I believe President Mahama understands the financial challenges service personnel face. He has already taken steps to curb corruption and inefficiencies in the system. I’m sure he’s now considering whether some of the funds saved from these reforms can be used to improve allowances. It’s something he’s thinking about,” he revealed.
The announcement has brought relief to National Service personnel, many of whom have struggled financially due to the months-long delay in payments. With the government’s renewed focus on efficiency and anti-corruption measures, Gyamfi expressed optimism that service personnel can expect a more reliable payment system in the future.
