News
Abolish import tax on sanitary pads–Government urged
A Consortium of Non Profit Organisations in the Upper West Region has renewed calls on the government to abolish tax on the importation of sanitary pads into the country.
The consortium made up of Ideapath Consult, Wype the Tears of African Girl Child, Get Back to School Foundation, Toilet Engineers and Sanitation Services Limited, noted that prices of sanitary pads in the country continued to increase to the detriment of the vulnerable girls in society due to heavy taxes imposed on its importation into the country.
In a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the lead organisation, Ideapath Consult, Mr Lukeman Tahiru and released to the Ghanaian Times, the consortium appealed to the government to prescribe tax holidays for importers of sanitary pad.
It also encouraged government to invest in the manufacturing of sanitary pads locally as well as promote local entrepreneurs who would venture into such production in order to reduce cost.
The statement noted with concern, the spate at which some young girls had fallen victim to unscrupulous men in their bid to secure money to purchase basic items such as sanitary pads.
“Menstruation is not an option. It is a normal biological process for women yet low-income families are heavily hit as parents and guardians are unable to afford sanitary pads for their wards” it stated, adding that the situation was more pronounced in the Upper West Region where poverty was widespread.
The consortium opined that if taxes on sanitary pads were slashed it would make the product affordable for females and would go a long way to reduce social vices such as child prostitution with its resultant problem of teenage pregnancy and school dropout cases
“Many girls in this region, particularly in the rural areas, according to our preliminary survey stay out of school when they are menstruating and that is because they do not have sanitary pads to keep them safe and confident,” it noted.
The statement further lamented that the problem was compounded by the colour of the school uniforms being used by a particular school, indicating that girls with bright coloured uniforms would opt out of school for a whole week during their menstrual period for fear of soiling themselves in public.
“The impact of this on the girl child is enormous as it affects her academic performance and kills her confidence as well,” the statement expressed and added a plea to government to abolish the taxes as soon as possible.
Source: Ghanaian Times
News
National Service Authority gets new Director-General
The National Service Authority (NSA) has officially welcomed a new Director-General, Ms. Ruth Dela Seddoh, following a brief handing-over ceremony at its headquarters on Tuesday.
The event marked the formal transfer of leadership from the outgoing Director-General, Mr. Felix Gyamfi, to Ms. Seddoh. Management and staff of the Authority attended the ceremony.
Mr. Gyamfi used the occasion to thank staff for their support during his tenure.
He encouraged them to give the same cooperation to Ms. Seddoh to ensure the continued growth and impact of the Authority.
Ms. Seddoh expressed appreciation to government for the confidence placed in her.
She promised to build on the achievements of her predecessor and called for teamwork, dedication and innovation to help the NSA deliver on its mandate to support national development.
Management of the Authority pledged their full support to the new leadership as the organisation enters its next phase.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NSA board sets up committee to supervise digital reforms
The Governing Board of the National Service Authority (NSA) has announced the inauguration of a Transition and Implementation Steering Committee (TISC) to oversee the Authority’s digital transformation agenda.
According to the Board, the move follows a letter dated 17 June 2025 from the Office of the President to the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment directing the suspension of the existing deployment system, calling for an audit of its operations and instructing the design and deployment of a new digital platform.
The Board explained that the audit had been completed and had found the existing system unsatisfactory.
It indicated that the Minister had written to the Board to begin the necessary legal processes to ensure the contract for the audited system, which expired in August 2025, would not be renewed, and to take further steps toward designing and deploying a new digital platform that would guarantee transparency, security and real-time verification of service personnel postings.
It stressed that the TISC had been established to ensure a smooth and orderly transition from the current National Service Scheme digital platform to a new ICT-led system aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
The Authority outlined the Committee’s mandate as overseeing the phased migration from the legacy system, directing the design and deployment of a modern digital platform, and supervising its operationalisation across core functions including personnel enrolment, postings, payroll, allowances and scheme administration.
It further noted that acting under the directives of the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment and deriving authority from the NSA Board, the TISC has the power to issue instructions to NSA departments and engage external partners necessary to achieve its mandate through the Governing Board.
The Authority named Dr. Wisdom Atiwoto, a member of the NSA Board and Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management at the Ministry of Health, as chair of the Committee.
Other members include Ms. Ruth Dela Seddoh, Mr. Shadrack Mensah, Ms. Elorm Goh, Mr. Benjamin Freeman Kusi, Ms. Jennifer Opong, Dr. Stephan Nwolley, Mr. Koku Abotsi, Mr. Japhet Kuntu, Mr. Nabil Abubakar Hussayn and Ms. Regina Obenewa Penrose as Secretary.
The NSA Board assured the public and stakeholders of its commitment to innovation, accountability and excellence in service delivery.
It emphasised that there would be no disruption in the fulfilment of its obligations to national service personnel as outlined in the National Service Act, Act 1119 (2024), and indicated that updates on the Committee’s progress would be communicated in due course.
With the collective expertise of its members, the TISC is expected to deliver a robust and future-ready platform that will anchor the next phase of the National Service Scheme’s operations.
By: Jacob Aggrey
