Dr Bawumia won’t abolish ‘NSS’ if elected President – Govt official

Former government spokesperson, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the National Service Scheme (NSS) will not be abolished if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is elected president in the upcoming general election.

“NSS will stay, he’s not saying he’s going to abolish NSS. He’s saying that if you get a job, and you are being denied that job because you haven’t done the mandatory national service, he’s going to take that clause out.

If you get a job and the employer is willing to take that job, the employer is not compelled to say that because you haven’t done national service, he should not give you the job

It does mean that this training and learning and growing of culture is gone, it’s still there. You will not be denied a job because you haven’t done national service,” Mr Nkrumah said on Face to Face on Citi TV with Umaru Sanda Amadu.

The Ofoase Ayirebi Member of Parliament clarification comes after Vice-President, Dr Bawumia in his vision speech at the University of Professional Studies in Accra said he will review the one-year mandatory national service period.

In a televised address to Ghanaians on his vision as future President, the flagbearer for the ruling NPP government said believes the concept of the current national service scheme needs tweaking to suit the demands of jobs by graduates.

Addressing party supporters and leaders on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) auditorium, Dr Bawumia said students will be given the option to decide whether to do national service or not.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, to help our youth get jobs, I believe it is time to rethink the concept of our current national service scheme. My government will propose that those who after completion of their education can secure jobs would be exempted from national service.

National service will no longer be mandatory and students will have the option to decide whether to do national service. This will also encourage companies to go to campuses for recruitment annually,” the NPP flagbearer promised.