The National Service Authority (NSA) has cautioned employers against recruiting graduates without first verifying whether they have fulfilled their mandatory national service obligations, warning that failure to do so could result in prosecution.
The Authority’s Deputy Director-General in charge of Programmes and Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Moses Dok Nach Kpeungu, explained that both the graduate and the employer could be held legally responsible for violating the law. He noted that the requirement is enshrined in the National Service Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1119), which makes national service compulsory for graduates of tertiary institutions.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Lieutenant Colonel Kpeungu said employers who recruit graduates without conducting the necessary checks risk contravening the law. He stressed that employers have a responsibility to request and verify a prospective employee’s national service certificate before offering them employment.
According to him, failing to complete the mandatory national service renders a graduate ineligible for employment, while an employer who hires such an individual without verifying their service status could also be committing an offence. Asked whether any employer had been prosecuted for violating the requirement, Lieutenant Colonel Kpeungu said he was not aware of any such case. However, he expressed the view that an employer could eventually be prosecuted over the matter.
