We
the leadership of the Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students(GNUPS)
have learnt with uttermost surprise the decision by the National Service Scheme
Board and Management not to pay the September 2014 allowance of serving
National Service Personnel who completed Polytechnics bringing untoward
hardships to the numerous Polytechnic graduates serving across the country.
We take an exception to this decision by the NSS board when there was an agreement between the NSS, leadership of the Union and the supervisory ministry being the Ministry of Education to the effect that the month of September be given to Polytechnic graduates to count in lieu of their mandatory annual leave period of August to enable them prepare and write their final end of semester exams. This had become necessary due to the protracted sit down strike embarked upon by the polytechnic lecturers which affected the various polytechnics' academic calendars. This agreement had also been given clarity by the NSS itself with the inclusion of it in bullet “number 14” on the appointment letter of all service personnel from the Polytechnics for the 2014/2015 service year captioned SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE TO USER AGENCIES ON HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA (HND) GRADUATES which reads “The Governing Board of the national service Scheme wishes to inform all user agencies that due to the sit down strike embarked upon by Polytechnic Lecturers, all polytechnic graduates would be required to return to their various schools to write their final examination. In view of this, user agencies would be required to release all National Service Personnel in this category for the period of the examinations. The period of the release will count in lieu of the annual mandatory leave period of August. Accordingly, all Polytechnic graduates are required to remain at post during the leave period. This notice applies only to Polytechnic graduates and shall remain in force for the 2014/2015 service year. User agencies should take note and cooperate accordingly.”
We take an exception to this decision by the NSS board when there was an agreement between the NSS, leadership of the Union and the supervisory ministry being the Ministry of Education to the effect that the month of September be given to Polytechnic graduates to count in lieu of their mandatory annual leave period of August to enable them prepare and write their final end of semester exams. This had become necessary due to the protracted sit down strike embarked upon by the polytechnic lecturers which affected the various polytechnics' academic calendars. This agreement had also been given clarity by the NSS itself with the inclusion of it in bullet “number 14” on the appointment letter of all service personnel from the Polytechnics for the 2014/2015 service year captioned SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE TO USER AGENCIES ON HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA (HND) GRADUATES which reads “The Governing Board of the national service Scheme wishes to inform all user agencies that due to the sit down strike embarked upon by Polytechnic Lecturers, all polytechnic graduates would be required to return to their various schools to write their final examination. In view of this, user agencies would be required to release all National Service Personnel in this category for the period of the examinations. The period of the release will count in lieu of the annual mandatory leave period of August. Accordingly, all Polytechnic graduates are required to remain at post during the leave period. This notice applies only to Polytechnic graduates and shall remain in force for the 2014/2015 service year. User agencies should take note and cooperate accordingly.”
Based
on the prior agreement and inscription in the appointment letters to our
affected graduates, the leadership of GNUPS respectfully calls on the board and
management of the National Service Scheme to rescind the decision not to pay
the September 2014 allowance of service personnel who completed Polytechnics.
The
NSS must as a matter of fairness, respect the consensus reached between GNUPS
and the management of the scheme by rethinking their current stance.
We
however cease this opportunity to call on our graduates serving the nation
under the National Service Scheme across the country to calm down and exercise
restrain while trusting that the leadership of the Union will do everything
within our powers and exploring all legal avenues at our disposal in ensuring
that what is due them will rightfully be paid to them in due course.
God
bless Ghana.
Signed:
Kwame Amponsah Manu Helina
Owusu
Coordinating Secretary PR Officer
0249 625 376 0246
938 621
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