By Justice Lee Adoboe
Once a system has run over a period, chances are high that diminishing returns could set in. That is the reason for institutional and system renewal from time to time.
It is therefore amazing to hear certain arguments around town lately that the National Service Scheme is no more relevant, or has outlived its usefulness.
The arguments, clearly borne out of partisan interest and malice are so surprising. Indeed, these arguments seem to dwell on the fact that the NSS isn’t living up to its billing.
We can say the National Service scheme needs restructuring; system renewal and a shift, or redirection in policy focus to ensure that the benefits to the nation and the individual participants are maximized.
But to say the whole idea is useless hence must be scrapped is a lazy way of dealing with institutional challenges. It is worse than the proverbial ‘throwing the bath-water away with a baby. This is like amputation due to a minor fracture.
Ghana receives volunteers from American Peace Corps and VSO from Britain, yet we deem our own National Service useless, just because we think it is not living up to our expectation?
Among other things, the National Youth Service of South Africa for instance seeks to:
-Inculcate a culture of service by supporting youth to participate constructively in nation-building to;
- Promote social cohesion;
- Create understanding in young people of their role in promotion of civic awareness, patriotism and national reconstruction;( http://www.nyda.gov.za/National-Youth-Service-Programme/Pages/default.aspx).
Similarly, the National Service Scheme of Ghana has its ‘core’ objectives spelt out as seen below:
- Encourage the spirit of national service among all segments of the Ghanaian society in the effort of nation-building through active participation,
- Undertake projects designed to combat hunger, illiteracy, disease and unemployment in Ghana,
- Help provide essential services and amenities particularly in towns and villages of the rural areas of Ghana,
- Develop skilled manpower through practical training,
- Promote national unity and strengthen the bonds of common citizenship among Ghanaians.( http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Job-creation-through-the-National-Service-Scheme-379163)
May those advancing the argument that NSS is useless tell Ghanaians when the objectives listed above became irrelevant in the scheme of nation building.
It has never been a bed of roses doing National Service; Allowances were paid on quarterly basis, during my days and 27,000 cedis or GHC 2.7 today which was increased to about 30,000 cedis or GHc 3.0 today was all we earned.
But it taught us lessons that have remained, especially resilience under adversity innovation and mixing with other cultures.
Our arguments against the NSS today stem from deep-rotted partisan considerations, and once certain politicians of our preferred parties have been found out not to have carried out the National Service, we must by all means rubbish the scheme; this kind of attitude is counter-productive and doesn’t serve any national purpose.
Defeatist as it is, coming from the various quarters it is coming the propensity of this campaign to elicit some attention is quite high real.
It must be stated that National service is not about immediate monetary or fiscal returns, but the socio-economic benefits implicit in the objectives are very key in the development of any nation.
The cost is actually not what the country spends on it without expecting any immediate fiscal dividends, but rather abounds in the deprived areas that are not going to be served; the practical skills that are not acquired; the social cohesion not achieved; the hunger, illiteracy, disease and unemployment that are not eradicated among others if the scheme is scrapped.
Indeed, with the same argument, can we say parliament itself is not necessary? (Because for 21 years in our 60 years of nationhood, the country was run without parliament, but we still have good laws from these eras).
Can we say even presidency is not important, once we have our chiefs, or even ministers not important, because the civil and public servants , technocrats among others are actually the real captains of the public sector? By that same token, can we say even tertiary or university education isn’t important just because industry says it doesn’t receive the right calibre of graduates for the market from our institutions, so after secondary school everybody should settle with industry and get the right kind of practical training?
Restructuring, refocusing and retooling are the key issues the country should be discussing about NSS not its relevance.
It is easy to say the scheme is useless, so must be scrapped, but a greater and more critical imperative is suggesting what to have in its place; and more practical and beneficial ways of reaching the intended ends spelt out in the aims and objectives of NSS else our arguments would remain just pedestrian and futile.