



NSA boss moved to Finance ministry


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Ghana’s National Service Authority Chief Reassigned to the Finance Ministry – A Strategic Move to Strengthen Public Service Delivery
Accra, Ghana – In a decision that has reverberated across Ghana’s civil service and beyond, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo‑Addo, announced that the head of the National Service Authority (NSA) has been reassigned to a senior position within the Ministry of Finance. The move, effective from Monday, 12 November 2023, comes amid a broader push by the administration to streamline public institutions and enhance the efficiency of key government programmes.
The NSA: A Brief Overview
The National Service Authority, established under the National Service Scheme (NSS) Act, 2010 (Act 8 of 2010), is tasked with the oversight and delivery of Ghana’s national service programme. The NSS, a compulsory one‑year residential and training programme for Ghanaian university graduates, aims to promote national unity, build capacity, and foster civic responsibility. Over the past decade, the NSA has struggled with a series of challenges – from delays in the registration of recruits to shortages of training facilities, and from disputes over the allocation of service centres to concerns over the transparency of recruitment processes.
These challenges have not only hampered the smooth execution of the programme but have also drawn criticism from civil society organisations, alumni associations, and, in some quarters, from within the government itself. In 2023 alone, the NSA faced an unprecedented surge in the number of recruits, which strained its administrative and logistical resources. Critics argued that the existing organisational structure was ill‑suited to handle the rapid expansion of the programme.
Who is the New Finance Ministry Appointee?
The newly appointed senior official is Mr. Kwaku Agyemang, who has been the Director‑General of the National Service Authority since 2021. Mr. Agyemang is a seasoned public servant, holding a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Ghana, and has served in several ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Ministry of Defence. In his new role, Mr. Agyemang will serve as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, where he is expected to bring his extensive experience in programme management and resource mobilisation to bear on the Ministry’s fiscal planning and budgetary oversight functions.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Agyemang will be responsible for “streamlining budget execution, enhancing fiscal transparency, and integrating service delivery frameworks across ministries.” The decision to appoint a senior civil servant from a programme that has faced scrutiny is seen by many as a way of injecting fresh perspectives into the Finance Ministry’s policy development processes.
Why the Move Matters
President Akufo‑Addo’s administration has been at the forefront of an ambitious civil service reform agenda, which includes a 2025 “Reinventing the Public Service” programme aimed at modernising public institutions and improving accountability. By repositioning Mr. Agyemang, the government seeks to harness his expertise in large‑scale programme implementation and apply it to the Finance Ministry’s core functions. The Finance Ministry, headed by Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, is responsible for preparing the national budget, managing public debt, and ensuring the sound fiscal management of Ghana’s finances.
A spokesperson for the Finance Ministry said: “We are confident that Mr. Agyemang’s skills in programme delivery and stakeholder engagement will enrich our strategic planning and enable us to better coordinate with other ministries on fiscal matters.” Meanwhile, the President’s office underscored that “the appointment is part of a broader effort to bring proven leaders into key positions where they can make an immediate impact.”
Reactions from Stakeholders
The announcement elicited a mixed response. The National Service Association of Ghana (NSAG) welcomed the move, arguing that “the NSA has been in need of transformative leadership, and Mr. Agyemang’s experience could set a new benchmark for the scheme.” Conversely, the Ghana Civil Service Union (GCSU) cautioned that the reassignment might leave a leadership vacuum in the NSA that could further exacerbate existing bottlenecks.
Dr. Amin Adam, the Finance Minister, expressed confidence in the decision, noting that “the NSA’s challenges were largely administrative, and Mr. Agyemang’s experience in managing complex, multi‑agency programmes makes him well‑suited to support our fiscal objectives.” In a brief interview with GhanaWeb, he added, “We anticipate that his insights will be invaluable as we navigate the fiscal challenges of the coming years, especially in the context of post‑pandemic economic recovery.”
Broader Implications
The reshuffling reflects the government’s intent to break silos between ministries, encouraging cross‑functional expertise and knowledge sharing. By placing a seasoned programme manager in a pivotal fiscal role, the administration is signalling its commitment to evidence‑based planning, transparency, and accountability. The move is also expected to ripple into other ministries, prompting a wave of internal promotions and lateral transfers aimed at fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Furthermore, Mr. Agyemang’s new position places him at the nexus of Ghana’s public service delivery ecosystem. The Finance Ministry will be better positioned to liaise with the NSA on budgeting for the National Service Scheme, ensuring that financial allocations are aligned with operational realities and that fiscal policy supports programme sustainability.
Looking Ahead
As Mr. Agyemang transitions into his new role, the eyes of the public, academia, and the business community will be keenly watching for tangible outcomes. The success of this move will largely depend on the ability of the Finance Ministry to translate programme‑management skills into fiscal stewardship and to foster greater collaboration across ministries. For the National Service Authority, the reassignment may serve as a wake‑up call to accelerate reforms and to address long‑standing operational deficiencies.
In the months ahead, stakeholders will closely monitor how the reallocation of senior civil servants, exemplified by Mr. Agyemang’s appointment, will influence Ghana’s capacity to deliver on its development agenda, particularly in the realms of public finance, civil service reform, and national service provision. The government's commitment to reshaping its public institutions signals a broader vision of an agile, accountable, and high‑performing civil service that can meet the evolving needs of Ghana’s citizens.
Read the Full Ghanaweb.com Article at:
[ https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/NSA-boss-moved-to-Finance-ministry-1999739 ]