Confusion rocks National Service Personnel Association ahead of National Congress

There is a seeming division currently rocking the National Executive Committee of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) ahead of the association’s 11th National Terminal Congress and elections.

The Association in a statement dated April 24, 2022, and signed by its National President, Emmanuel Brimpong Akosa announced the opening of nominations for the 2022 National NASPA elections.

According to the statement, personnel hoping to contest must cough up some GHS1,500 for the Presidential portfolio and GHS1,200 for the other portfolios.

This announcement, however, has generated a raging debate in the public domain with many describing the fees as outrageous.

Matters have now hit a further snag, as the Secretary for the association, Lawrence S.K Nyalemegbe has come out to disagree with the decision.

The NASPA Secretary in a counter-statement issued on Tuesday described the nomination fees as outrageous while raising concerns over some developments in the running of the association.

“I, first of all, would like to categorically state that to the best of my knowledge, there was no NEC meeting convened for the purpose of discussing the issue. As has been the convention over the years, the National Executive Committee can and only commence the electoral process for the succeeding batch of National Executives and adequately schedule a date for the National Terminal Congress when all the 10 traditional regions have duly had their regional elections to elect their regional executives who subsequently will become eligible to contest for any of the portfolios at the national level in accordance with Article 11(b) of the reviewed NASPA Constitution of 2013,” the statement read.

This constitutional requirement has not been met since there are unresolved electoral issues regarding the elections in the Upper West region.

On the matter of the nomination fees, the Secretary said, “More astonishing to me is the 50% increment indication regarding the pricing of the nomination forms in the President’s communique.

“In other words, an ordinary National Service Personnel who has an unflinching desire to lead the line at the national level in the fight and struggle for the betterment of the welfare and well-being of service persons would have to spare at least, three month’s service allowance in order to take one of the preliminary steps towards the accomplishment of that dream,” he laments.

Lawrence S.K Nyalemegbe is further accusing the National Financial Secretary of the association, Prince Abada of inappropriately directing interested aspirants to pay the nomination fees into his personal CalBank account instead of that of the association.

The NASPA Secretary is further raising concerns about the long-standing interest of political parties in the running of the affairs of the association which he said has led the association’s leadership into becoming puppets.