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The National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) has suspended its Capacity Building Programme following widespread criticism over a GHS60 deduction from the monthly allowances of National Service Personnel.
The decision was announced by NASPA President Abdul Wahab Mohammed during a press conference on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after consultations with the management of the National Service Authority (NSA), feedback from service personnel and intervention by the Minister for Youth, Empowerment and Development, George Opare Addo.
According to the association, the programme has been suspended with immediate effect to allow for a comprehensive review of its structure and implementation.
“The Capacity Building Programme, as currently structured, is hereby suspended with immediate effect, pending a comprehensive review of the programme for a decisive action to be taken,” Abdul Wahab Mohammed stated.
He assured National Service Personnel that no further deductions would be made from their monthly allowances while the review process is underway.
The Capacity Building Programme was introduced to provide National Service Personnel with practical and industry-relevant skills aimed at improving their employability after completing their mandatory national service.
The initiative was designed to offer training in areas including coding, website development, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, project management, agribusiness, and other professional skills considered relevant in today’s job market.
According to the NASPA President, the association’s National Executive Council approved the programme in December 2025 after identifying the growing challenges graduates face in securing employment after completing national service.
Initially, NASPA proposed a monthly contribution of GHS15, which would have amounted to GHS180 over the one-year service period. However, the association later adopted a one-time GHS60 deduction, explaining that the amount would cover four months of training under the programme.
The deduction, however, sparked widespread opposition from National Service Personnel, many of whom questioned whether the charge was compulsory and demanded greater transparency regarding the programme’s implementation.
Responding to the concerns, Abdul Wahab Mohammed said the association had listened to the views of personnel and remained committed to protecting their welfare and interests.
Earlier, NASPA defended the deduction, insisting that it was an initiative of the association and not a policy introduced by the National Service Authority.
In a statement issued on July 19, 2026, the association explained that the programme was intended to equip service personnel with valuable career skills and clarified that the deduction had been approved through NASPA’s internal processes.
Despite those explanations, criticism continued to grow, with several stakeholders calling for the suspension of the programme and the refund of deductions already made.
Among them was investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who argued that the deductions should be reversed and the affected National Service Personnel reimbursed.
The suspension of the programme is expected to ease tensions while NASPA undertakes a full review of the initiative and determines whether changes should be made before any future implementation.
