Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has called on the Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Ruth Dela Seddoh, to immediately reverse deductions made from the allowances of national service personnel to fund a compulsory capacity-building programme.

In a Facebook post, Mr Awuni questioned both the legality and rationale behind the deductions, arguing that many service personnel were unaware of the training programme and had not requested it.

“The Director of the National Service Authority, Ruth Dela Seddoh, should take steps to reverse the illegal deduction from already meagre allowances of the national service personnel.”

He further criticised the decision by the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) executives to contract Zeus Atlas to provide the training, saying it was unrealistic to impose a single programme on thousands of graduates with diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

“Most of the personnel have no idea about the so-called capacity building that the NASPA executives have contracted Zeus Atlas to provide.”

Mr Awuni argued that a compulsory, one-size-fits-all approach was inappropriate for more than 70,000 graduates with different interests and career aspirations.

“And it’s even stranger to think of a one-size-fits-all training for over 70,000 graduates with so many varied backgrounds and interests. A few executives cannot pretend to know everyone’s training needs.”

Read Also: National Service Authority denies authorising allowance deductions, says NASPA approved GH¢60 charge

According to him, any such training should be voluntary rather than mandatory.

“If anything, it should be optional, so that those who need the training pay to attend. It cannot be compulsory.”

He therefore urged the Authority to refund the deductions already made and stop any future deductions to avoid another controversy.

“The deduction ought to be reversed, and future deductions halted before another scandal hits the scandal-ridden NSA.”

Mr Awuni also cautioned the NSA’s management against approving future deductions initiated by NASPA executives, arguing that such officials should not be entering into or enforcing high-value contracts on behalf of service personnel.

“In addition, the NSA director and management should be cautious about future deductions proposed by NASPA executives for implementation. People who are supposed to serve as leaders in a service year lack the capacity to enter into, implement, and enforce such high-value contracts.”

He concluded by warning that the National Service Authority must strengthen its oversight to prevent potential procurement-related abuses.

“NSA must not serve as the breeding ground for possible corruption and procurement deals.”