Accra, March 31, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday commended the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), an international development agency, for their efforts to modernise their operations as well as the National Service Secretariat (NSS) in Ghana. He pledged the Government's support for such partnership to ensure a viable National Volunteer Programme in Ghana. President Kufuor made the commendation when Mr Mark Goldring, Chief Executive Officer of the VSO, currently on a six-day official visit to Ghana paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu. He was accompanied by Ms Sukhinder Stubbs, Director of the Barrow Cadbury Trust UK, a partner of VSO.

President Kufuor said the VSO and Cadbury had been very good and long partners of Ghana in development therefore Cadbury should assist the Government to add value to cocoa beans as a means of providing more employment for the youth. Mr Goldring said VSO had been in Ghana for the past 40 years and in recent times been working in partnership with the NSS to contribute effectively to education in the country. Ms Stubbs said Cadbury was contributing resources to VSO to promote

development especially in developing countries. The VSO is currently working to improve the quality of education in Northern Ghana, supporting persons with disabilities and improving upon the livelihoods of people in rural areas. Almost 1,000 volunteers have served in the country since VSO was established in Ghana.