National Service postings for 2006/07 released

Accra Oct. 4, GNA - The National Service Secretariat (NSS) on Wednesday released 31,005 postings of personnel to the various regions to do their service. Out of the number, male postings were 21,203, while females were 9,802. Announcing the figure at a press conference at the NSS Headquarters in Accra, Mr Kofi Obiri Yeboah, Director of NSS, said there was equitable distribution of Service Personnel this year. The postings could be assessed on the Internet through www.nssghana.org. Consequently, all national service personnel could check their postings, using their assigned unique numbers, print out their postings advice and proceed to their region of placement for their appointment letters.

Mr Yeboah said the Greater Accra Region had 7,000; Ashanti Region had 5,500 and Eastern, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Western Regions had 3,000 postings each.

The rest were Central and Volta Regions had 2,000 personnel each, Upper East Region 800 and Upper West Region 500 postings. The Director said: "In pursuant to the Government's policy of providing quality education to Ghanaians, 70 per cent of the Service Personnel had been posted to the Educational Sector so as to meet the shortfall in the supply of teachers to particularly the rural areas." He explained that this had become necessary due to the increased enrolment in schools as a result of the introduction of the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme.

"This is to help to improve the level of teaching and learning in our schools, especially in the basic schools which ultimately leads to the achievement of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education as enshrined in the Constitution," he said.

Mr Yeboah noted that 10 per cent of the National Service Personnel were posted to the Private Sector, described as "the engine of growth". The Health Sector, nongovernmental organisations and other user agencies received the remaining 20 per cent.

He cautioned employers not to employ graduates of accredited tertiary courses, who had not shown evidence of discharging their National Service obligation.

Commending last year's Service Personnel for their dint of hard work, Mr Yeboah explained that the arrears due them as a result of wage increase in the country, was "receiving attention on the desk" of the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Giving the break down of the sector distribution of postings, Mr Fiifi Asubonteng, Director of Information Technology (IT) said the Ghana Education Service had 16,902 postings; Ministries, Departments and Agencies had 5,518 while Tertiary Education had 1,520 and the Private Sector had 1,500. Mr George Gado, a member of the Postings Committee, said to decongest the Greater Accra Regional offices of the Secretariat, postings were decentralised to Accra West, East, North and Central. He said Service Personnel in the Accra West would have their administrative offices at Amasaman District Assembly; East at Tema, "White House," North at Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, Legon and Central at the Greater Accra Regional Administration. 4 Oct. 06