Bawumia Promises To Make National Service Non-Mandatory

• Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia has promised to make the National Service Scheme non-mandatory for young graduates if made president.
• He is convinced this will attract companies to university campuses for recruitment.
• This policy, he said, ties in with his agenda to reduce youth unemployment rates in the country.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in his national address on his vision for Ghana should he be sworn in as president, has vowed to make the National Service Scheme non-mandatory.

This was one of many promises he made to Ghanaians in his national address under the theme: “Ghana’s Next Chapter: Selfless Leadership and Bold Solutions for the Future” at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) main auditorium, February 7, 2024.

Justifying his reasons for such a proposal, he explained that the time was ripe to rethink the national service scheme framework and fashion it in such a way that it serves the employment needs of young people in the country.

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He is convinced that making the national service scheme non-mandatory will “encourage companies to go to campuses for recruitment annually.”

“Those who after completion of their education can secure jobs would be exempted from national service.”

Reacting to the promise, Jonathan Asante Okyere, a political analyst, told YEN.com.gh that more clarity was needed from the vice president.

Okyere believes Bawumia may not have accounted for the social significance of the scheme.

"He seems not to understand the philosophical underpinning of the national service as being mandatory,” the analyst said.

Preparing Ghana for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Earlier, he had assured Ghanaians of his commitment to developing digital talents necessary to usher the nation into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The vice president, who has been championing the digitalisation agenda in the country, is convinced that equipping young Ghanaians with the needed digital skills will reduce youth unemployment in the country and make Ghana a digital hub.

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“In collaboration with the private sector, we will train at least 1,000,000 youth in IT skills, including software developers, to provide job opportunities worldwide,” he said.

Abolishing E-levy, other taxes

The NPP flagbearer also announced plans to abolish the e-levy if elected president to boost his plans for a cashless, digital economy.

According to him, abolishing the vexatious e-levy will boost electronic money transfers and inch Ghana even closer to going cashless.

He further announced plans to abolish the emissions levy and the levy on betting wins as part of his plans should he win the presidency in the fast-approaching 2024 general polls.

Source: YEN.com.gh