In an interview with Radio Univers on campus on July 8, 2024, Armstrong Essah, Director of Corporate Affairs for NSS, stated that the National Service Scheme (NSS) will operate outside Ghana.
This is a major policy change intended to connect the program with national priorities better and increase its influence on local and global levels.
“National priorities must be the foundation of every program and activity that NSS undertakes. For example, workers will be assigned and reassigned to locations that the government and the NSS decide upon each year,” Essah said.
This strategy guarantees that the NSS’s efforts are focused on areas that are essential to the country’s development plan.
A key element of this new policy is the globalization of deployment, which Essah believes will serve as a major motivator for service personnel. The international deployment will include partnerships with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria, facilitating personnel exchanges.
“The NSS cannot limit itself to Ghana alone. We have stayed local for too long. National service is a global concept. We are looking to integrate our processes with those of other countries, allowing for personnel exchanges. The host country will provide the same benefits and allowances to our personnel as they do to their own.”
“When we talk of national service, it’s not only applicable in Ghana. Other continents also do it. The US has it; Nigeria, and the UK, all have it. So we are looking at integrating our processes, our arrangements with some of the national service arrangements in other countries so that we could deploy some of our personnel to those countries where we have entered into a partnership with them.”
This international dimension is designed to provide Ghanaian service personnel with exposure to different working environments and cultures, enhancing their skills and broadening their perspectives. It is expected that such exchanges will not only benefit the individuals involved but also foster stronger international relations and cooperation.
Furthermore, the new policy will streamline NSS operations to align more closely with public sector standards.
“Every NSS operation will be streamlined to match public sector processes. Staff grades and promotions will align with public service standards. The data collection and registration processes will also be enhanced, giving personnel a head start,” Essah added.
The NSS bill, introduced in Parliament by Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum under a certificate of urgency, has been passed and is now awaiting presidential assent.
This comprehensive policy framework represents a transformative step for the NSS, aiming to elevate its role in national development while offering exciting global opportunities for service personnel.