The NSS Secretariat, in an earlier media engagement, stated that it will pay the arrears owed to the 2023/2024 service personnel by the first week of February.

The Acting Head of Corporate Affairs of the NSS, Ambrose Entsiwah Jnr, told Citi News that some administrative processes may, however, cause a delay in the release of the funds.

“We have gone through a lot of processes which we have submitted to the Controller and Accountant General Department to get the monies released to us so we can pay the service personnel,” Mr. Entsiwah Jnr said.

“Once these things are done, we will pay them for sure, but I am not too sure we will pay them this week. But I can say that by next week we will pay them,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Entsiwah revealed that as part of the processes, the monthly evaluation form will be made accessible to all personnel by Monday, February 12, 2024.

“It is one of the processes that we go through to ensure that we get the right people who are eligible to do National Service. So, around the 15th of every month, we release the evaluation forms. We have not released it because we are not done with the cross-checking to be sure that we have genuine people who are doing the national service. But latest by Monday it will be released so that they can access their portals, get registered, and get them endorsed so that hopefully by the close of next week we will be able to pay them.”

On the issue of orientation for administrative processes, Mr. Entsiwah Jnr said, “We explained this to the service personnel so they know in the first two months we do all these processes.”

He, however, pleaded with personnel to exercise patience as the Secretariat works assiduously to address their concern.

“I am pleading with them because their monies have been delayed. I have monitored the social media and have seen all their concerns. They need their money. So sometimes no amount of explanation will solve it, but we have worked very hard so far, and I can say that latest by next week we will be able to pay them their allowance,” he concluded.