Some private businesses and industries in the Ashanti region are demanding a review of the mandatory quota paid to the government on allowances of National Service personnel posted to their facilities.

The businesses are mandated to pay a 20 per cent quota on all allowances of the fresh tertiary graduates recruited to their facilities, which, they argue, is presenting additional costs to their operations.

Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries in the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo, and Bono-East regions, Akwasi Nyamekye, is requesting a reduction in the percentage quota.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Annual General Meeting of the association in Kumasi, Mr Nyamekye said the imposition is unfair.

“They should bring it to 10% or 5% for us to take more. Though we are training the guys on behalf of the government, they are still charging us for that. I think it’s unfair,” he noted.

Mr Nyamekye argued that, for agreeing to admit fresh university graduates into their companies for the mandatory service, it is only fair that the government cuts the levy.

“Every year, I have an arrangement with universities in Kumasi [KNUST and KsTU] to take students on internships. When I take a national service personnel and I pay the allowance, sometimes more than the stipulated allowance, and I have to go and pay 20% of the allowance to the secretariat. I think, it is too much,” he noted.

Already, the association has arranged for the secretariat to consider a review of the allowance, awaiting immediate announcement of a reduction.