A former Deputy National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana, has described as ‘wickedness’ the government's decision to increase allowance for National Service personnel to GHC 715.57.

According to him, the current inflation and dollar rates should inform the government to pay every service person at least GHC 1,500.

“It is sheer wickedness to increase the allowance to Gh715, because the government has the capacity to pay Gh1,500 for the personnel," he said.

The National Service Scheme, in a statement, says the government has given approval for an upward adjustment of the monthly allowance to NSS personnel from Gh559.04 to Gh715.57 with effect from January 2023.

Speaking to Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on Kuro Yi Mu Nsem, Mr Agbana said the GHC159 increase is insignificant.

The parliamentary candidate for Ketu North constituency said he expected the government to increase the NSS allowance to at least Gh1,500 to make the personnel comfortable.

"Transport cost, food and other things are now expensive, and Gh715 cannot last for even two weeks for the personnel,” he added.

He explained that the NDC government increased the National Service Scheme allowance from GHC 350 to GHC 559 in 2016 at a dollar conversion value of $159, but the current GHC 715 in dollars is $62.

"The value of Gh559 is way higher than the value of Gh715 at this time, and it is an insult to the National Service Scheme personnel," said Agbana.