President Mahama has ordered the arrest and asset freeze of suspects involved in the National Service ghost names probe, describing the scandal as a significant act of corruption.
He also announced reforms to the National Service Scheme, including a military training program and a legislative instrument to support the National Service Authorities Act.
"I have ordered that those who have fled be declared wanted, and their assets be traced and frozen until investigations are completed," the president said during the State of the Nation Address in parliament.
Adding, "We want our young people to develop a strong sense of discipline, resilience, and national service, and this military training component will help achieve that," he explained.
Tackling corruption in scholarship awards
Mahama also turned his attention to irregularities in Ghana’s scholarship scheme, lamenting that underprivileged students are often sidelined by the wealthy elite.
"The poor who genuinely need scholarships are unable to access them because the wealthy always crowd them out. Our government is committed to promoting transparency, equity, and sustainability in the scholarship scheme," he noted.
To ensure fairness, Mahama announced that the government would streamline the scholarship award process and publish the list of beneficiaries annually.
New job creation programme for the youth
In response to Ghana’s unemployment challenges, Mahama unveiled the "Ejumawura Programme," a job creation initiative focused on nurturing young businesses.
“This initiative will create, track, and mentor young businesses annually, with a special focus on youth entrepreneurship,” he stated.
The programme is expected to provide financial and technical support to young entrepreneurs, equipping them with the necessary skills to build sustainable businesses.
