Winneba (C/R), Aug. 5, GNA - The Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Robert Andrew Ghunney, has urged national service personnel, who have completed their service, to share their rich experiences and knowledge with people in their respective communities. "The national service programme is not meant to punish personnel by posting them to the rural areas, but is to enable them to acquire additional skills and experience for their future development," he said.

Mr Ghunney said this when he addressed 189 national service personnel, who have successfully completed their service in the Effutu Municipality, at a dinner in Winneba as part of activities marking their weeklong celebration. The celebration was under the theme: "Consolidating Democracy in Ghana - The Role of the Service Personnel". Mr Ambrose Entsiwah (Junior), Effutu Municipal Director of the National Service Scheme, also urged personnel to educate illiterates in their communities on the need to register and vote in the December 7, 2008 elections. He cautioned them to avoid deliberate attempts to pollute the electorates through lies in order to satisfy parochial political interest and rather be sincere with the facts.

Mr Entsiwah said as service personnel, it was an obligation for them to educate their brothers and sisters, friends and associates not to engage in any chaotic situations before, during and after the elections. He said some of issues service personnel could talk about might be the need to accept the results after the elections had been declared by the Electoral Commission. "This way, you shall be playing a very positive role in consolidating democracy in Ghana," he said. Mr Ato Dugan, the Director of the Municipal National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), who chaired the programme, advised the personnel to lead extemporary lives.