Press Statement : ” Let’s Not Kill The Sense Of Patriotism”

Silence is the language of the gods but they pay back bitterly when stepped on their toes. The consistent insult on the intelligence of Service Personnel in this country must stop.

STAND FOR GHANA MOVEMENT says “Enough is Enough”
It’s so unfortunate that, in this country, Ghana, the moment you’re added up to the pool as a service personnel, you automatically become a slave in your own land, which shouldn’t be so.
Right from registration till when the Almighty sees you through the entire journey, it’s so unbearable.
Service Personnel go through hell just to get registered at the various regional secretariats which results to some infractions at some centres while all personnel are computer literate and they can even sit in the comfort of their homes and still get registered when such opportunity is given but personnel are always plunge in a cumbersome situation.
Also as it stands now, over 8,000 personnel have still not been paid their allowances for two solid months for serving their own nation all in the name of;

1. Some have done National Service before.
2. They haven’t undertaken their biometric registration. Really?
   If for instance one has done National Service before and He/she is doing it again, who gave or reactivated their pin for them? Were they not part of the over 90,000 number brought out? Why do we punish ourselves like this or better still is it a crime to contribute your quota for the development of your own nation in the name of National Service.

The recent incident that even add more Sault to injury is the launched insurance policy for Service Personnel across the country.

Clearly, National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) and the National Service Scheme at large have demonstrated they are not there for the interest of the ordinary service personnel but rather for their own parochial interest.

We are not in any way against the whole idea but the implementation is very poor.

1. No broader consultation was made with the core stakeholders who’s money will be deducted for this purpose.
2. What do the personnel stand to benefit from His/her contribution at the end of the period, if there is no such incident for Him/her to be indemnified?
3. We have more than 20,000 personnel at the private sector, so are those people going to make this contribution? Or is it a crime to find yourself at the government sector?
4. It was said by the Executive director that, in case you die in the cause of your duty, there is a package for your next of kin. The fact is, no form has been filled with respect to this policy, so in case of such incidents, who will this insurance company give this package to since the personnel hasn’t provided any name formally to them as His/her next of kin.
5. Various personnel are having their individual private policies of which they are doing payment so why the deduction again. Why this double jeopardy?
   In fact the last month of the previous years’ service period, each service person was deducted GHS 15.00 in the name of constructing NASPA building in three regions and to secure lifejackets to personnel who cross water bodies to their place of work? We can say it unequivocally that per our checks, up till now not even a single lifejacket has been distributed. So the question is, you have not been able to account for the money you took, but you want to take more.
   We are telling our leaders that, “Since the hunter has learnt to shoot without missing, the bird has also learnt to fly without perching”.
   Upon all this, were are calling on the attention of the government to intervene on behalf of the ordinary service personnel before we advise ourselves.
   If the government was able to suspend the National Toll Levy, we are equally calling for the suspension of this policy until broader consultation is made and consensus is reached.

By;
FRIMPONG FOSTER
(CONVENER)
0546075778