NATIONAL SERVICE SECRETARIAT RELEASES THE 2017/18 POSTINGS OF SERVICE PERSONNEL WITH NEW TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION TO EASE THE PROCESS

NATIONAL SERVICE SECRETARIAT RELEASES THE 2017/18 POSTINGS OF SERVICE PERSONNEL WITH NEW TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION TO EASE THE PROCESS

The Management of the National Service Scheme has on Thursday, July 7, released the 2017/18 postings of national service personnel across the country to undergo a one-year mandatory national service in pursuance to section 3(1) of the National Service Act, 1980 (Act 462). This year’s deployment comes with a new innovation which allows prospective service personnel to access their posting details by simply texting the key, *714*77# on their mobile phones across all the major networks including MTN, Airtel, Tigo and Vodafone.

This was disclosed by the Acting Executive Director, Hon. Mustapha Ussif in a press conference on 7^th July, 2017 at the National Secretariat of the National Service Scheme in Accra. According to the Acting Executive Director, “a total of 91,871 prospective National Service Personnel have been deployed across the country. Out of this number, 76,908 prospective personnel have been deployed to the public sector whereas 14,963 were deployed to the private sector representing 84.70% and 16.30% respectively”.

He observed with delight that, the prospective personnel have shown significant interest and enthusiasm in undertaking this all-important national assignment following the numerous calls his outfit had been inundated with. This, he says, is a testament of the fact that the NSS has lived up to the very mandate underpinning its establishment sometime in 1980, which is to inculcate in the nation’s  youth, the spirit of volunteerism and nationalism for love of country.

Prior to the deployment of the service personnel, the Mustapha-led NSS embarked on pre-service on-campus orientation in all the accredited public and private tertiary institutions in the country to adequately prepare the prospective personnel for this national assignment. They also engaged their partners in the private sector and all other stakeholders on matters of concern to the Scheme with the view to achieving mutual benefits.

Hon. Mustapha Ussif, who happens to be the former Member of Parliament for the Yagba-Kubore Constituency also disclosed that the National Service Secretariat had given significant boost to the government’s flagship agric programme, dubbed, “PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS POLICY” in order to help in the attainment of the vision of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo. To this end, the National Service Secretariat deployed a total of 2,160 prospective service personnel to the Agriculture sector, according to the Acting Executive Director.

He gave the regional breakdown and also disclosed that registration would commence at all the Regional Centres from Monday, 17^th July and end on 17^th August, 2017.  1^st September is the effective date for the commencement of the 2017/18 national service. The Acting Executive Director, on behalf of the National Service Secretariat wished all prospective service personnel the very best in this crucial national assignment and assured them and the nation of the readiness of his outfit to address all their legitimate concerns.

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen