Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, has expressed strong opposition to the proposal made by the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to make the one-year mandatory National Service optional.

According to Dr. Apaak, such a move would only serve to create opportunities for bribery and corruption to thrive.

In addition to concerns about corruption, Dr. Apaak also highlighted that making National Service optional would not foster a sense of patriotism among Ghanaian students upon completion of their tertiary education.

Dr. Bawumia had announced his vision for the country during an event in Accra on Wednesday, where he outlined plans to make National Service optional if elected president in the upcoming general elections.

“I believe it is time to rethink the concept of our current national service scheme. My government will propose that those who, after completion of their education, can secure jobs, would be exempted from national service. National service will no longer be mandatory, and students will have the option to decide whether to do national service. This will also encourage companies to go to campuses for recruitment annually,” Dr. Bawumia said.

However, Dr. Apaak remains unconvinced about the potential benefits of this proposed policy change.

But speaking to Citi News, Dr. Clement Apaak said the implementation of such a proposal will only create a favourable exemption opportunity for the children of the political elite.

“What it will essentially do is introduce optional service in place of National Service, and once it becomes optional, it also creates the avenue for bribery and corruption. We all know the value of doing National Service, and we know that the National Service certificate plays a very important role, especially for those of us who will want to go into public service.”

“Time without number, you may have heard persons who have been nominated for ministerial positions being asked by the Appointments Committee where they did their National Service and whether they have certificates and so by saying that we are going to make it optional, you are totally destroying what we know and replacing it with a system that will only exempt the sons and daughters of the political elite.”