The management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) says the GH¢40 online activation fee prospective service personnel pay for enrollment to the scheme is not a rip off. 

The NSS Secretariat has, therefore, rejected allegations suggesting that it was extorting money from prospective national service personnel with the GH¢40 fee for personal identification number (PIN) codes activation.

In a statement issued on Friday (June 21) and signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Armstrong Esaah, the NSS management explained that the GH¢40 charge for PIN codes was not a recent development as it had been the practice for almost two decades. 

The statement, which was made available to Graphic Online, indicated that since the NSS introduced the online registration system in 2006, all perspective service persons have been paying the fee for essential ICT infrastructure and other services to ensure operational efficiency.

Breakdown

Providing a breakdown of what constituted the GH¢40 charge for PIN code, Mr Essah said GH¢10 was used for electronic NSS ID cards; GH¢10 for National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) dues and GH¢20 for online (Internet) services, paid to the service providers.

“This covers the cost of NSS certificates awarded upon service completion, facilitates the monthly upload of assessment forms and supports the ongoing maintenance and upgrades to the NSS online registration system,” he added. 

Additionally, he said the amount also covered the hosting of the NSS ICT infrastructure and the management of the central ICT system for optimal performance.

“The online system further streamlines the registration process, reducing waiting times and minimising errors, thus ensuring a hassle-free experience for all applicants,” he stated. 

Best practice

Mr Essah reiterated that the GH¢40 charge was a well-established practice that supported the essential ICT infrastructure and services necessary for the efficient operation of NSS. 

He said it was important to note that despite the rise in the cost of delivering those ICT services since 2015, the NSS management had not passed that additional cost onto the service personnel. 

“Management wishes to state that the NSS remains dedicated to the continuous improvement of our processes and services," the statement said. 

The Scheme expressed its commitment to enhancing transparency, adding that it was always open to constructive feedback from the public and stakeholders.