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NSA Addresses Registration Challenges for the 2025/26 Service Year – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

The National Service Authority (NSA) of Ghana opened its National Service Portal on 8 October 2025 to register the 2025/26 batch of prospective service personnel. Within days, a surge of complaints highlighted registration challenges—chiefly data mismatches between tertiary‑institution records and the information on applicants’ Ghana Cards. This article explains the NSA’s response, outlines the corrective procedures, and offers practical advice for applicants, institutions, and stakeholders.

Analysis

What triggered the complaints?

After the portal launch, the NSA received numerous tickets reporting:

• Incorrect Date of Birth (DOB) entries.
• Discrepancies in place‑of‑birth and home‑district details.
• Mismatched identification numbers between the Ghana Card and the data submitted by universities or polytechnics.

These inconsistencies prevented many candidates from completing the online registration, risking delays in their mandatory national service placement.

Root causes identified by the NSA

1. Data entry errors at the institutional level – often typographical mistakes or outdated records.
2. Out‑of‑date Ghana Card information – some graduates had renewed or corrected their Ghana Card after initial university submission.
3. Inadequate verification mechanisms within the portal’s backend, which flagged mismatches without offering a clear remediation path.

Official NSA response

On 9 October 2025, the NSA published a detailed notice outlining three remedial actions:

1. Swearing of affidavits for data mismatches – Applicants must submit a notarised affidavit, have it gazetted, and forward it to their institution.
2. Rectification of institutional errors – Universities must correct the erroneous data and resend it to the NSA.
3. Submission of corrected details – All updates are to be emailed to classlist@nss.gov.gh with a copy to tweneboah.kodua@nss.gov.gh.

Summary

The NSA’s corrective framework aims to streamline the registration of the 2025/26 service batch by:

• Providing a clear, legally‑backed route (affidavit & gazette) for individuals whose personal data differ from institutional records.
• Mandating prompt institutional verification and communication of corrected information.
• Ensuring that every eligible graduate can enrol for mandatory national service in sectors critical to Ghana’s development.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For prospective service personnel

1. Verify your Ghana Card details before starting the portal registration. Ensure name, DOB, and district match your academic records.
2. If a mismatch appears, download the affidavit template from the NSA website, fill it accurately, and have it notarised.
3. Submit the gazetted affidavit to your institution’s registrar. Request a written acknowledgment of receipt.
4. Follow up with the registrar to confirm that the corrected data has been emailed to classlist@nss.gov.gh.
5. Keep a copy of all correspondence (email receipts, affidavit, gazette notice) for future reference.

For tertiary institutions

1. Conduct an internal audit of all pending service registrations to spot potential mismatches early.
2. Designate a “National Service Liaison Officer” responsible for handling affidavits and data corrections.
3. Use a standardised spreadsheet to track each applicant’s status: original data, identified error, affidavit receipt, corrected submission.
4. Immediately forward corrected records to the NSA’s dedicated email addresses, copying the appropriate regional contact.
5. Maintain a log of all communications for audit purposes and to address any future disputes.

For NSA officials and support staff

• Publish a step‑by‑step guide (PDF and video) on the portal’s “Help” section describing the affidavit process.
• Set up a ticket‑tracking system that flags mismatched entries and automatically generates an email template for institutions.
• Coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General to streamline the gazetting process for affidavits.

Points of Caution

• Fraudulent affidavits: Submitting false statements can lead to criminal prosecution under Ghanaian law (e.g., Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act).
• Delayed gazetting: The official gazette may take up to two weeks; plan accordingly to avoid missing the service‑year registration deadline.
• Data privacy: Ensure that personal information shared via email complies with the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843).
• Institutional bottlenecks: Over‑reliance on a single registrar can cause backlogs; encourage delegation across departmental staff.

Comparison with Previous Service Years

Legal Implications

The NSA’s new procedure touches on several legal domains:

1. Affidavit authenticity: Under the Affidavits Act 1960, an affidavit must be sworn before a qualified legal practitioner. Providing false information constitutes perjury (Section 55 of the Criminal Offences Act).
2. Gazetting requirement: Publication in the official Gazette gives the affidavit statutory effect, as required by the Public Records and Archives Administration Act 2000.
3. Data protection: The NSA must handle personal data in line with the Data Protection Act 2012, ensuring confidentiality and limiting access to authorised personnel only.
4. Contractual obligations: Tertiary institutions have a contractual duty—often stipulated in their Memorandum of Understanding with the NSA—to provide accurate student data for national service placement.

Conclusion

The National Service Authority’s swift issuance of a public notice on 9 October 2025 demonstrates a commitment to resolve registration bottlenecks for the 2025/26 service year. By mandating affidavits, gazetting, and a clear communication channel between institutions and the NSA, the authority aims to protect the integrity of Ghana’s mandatory national service programme while safeguarding applicants’ rights. Prospective service personnel, educational institutions, and NSA officials must collaborate closely, adhere to legal requirements, and act promptly to ensure that every eligible graduate can commence their service without unnecessary delay.

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