Bolgatanga, August 10, GNA - Out of the 539 National Service personnel, posted to the Upper East Region, this year, to undertake the compulsory one-year service, only 346 turned up for postings. The Upper East Regional Co-ordinator of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Mr Charles Ayoung, announced this during the launch of this year's National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), week celebration in Bolgatanga.

He asked the authorities to reverse the trend since, "Services rendered by personnel of the scheme is immeasurable because their presence in the Region had contributed immensely to solving the problem of acute shortage of teachers".

The Regional Minister, Mahami Salifu, said the Government would continue to rely on the personnel to ensure the holistic development of society.

He said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had recruited service persons to man the newly created districts. Mr Salifu said Government was working hard to solve the lack of accommodation facing the personnel and delays in the payment of allowances.

The President of NASPA, Mr Paul Quartey, reminded the NSS Secretariat, about the need to increase the allowances of personnel to motivate a sizeable number of them to accept postings to remote communities.

The weeklong celebration is packed with activities like, tree planting, clean-up exercises and fun games.