Kumasi, Oct. 6, GNA - The National Service Secretariat in the Ashanti Region has deployed 9,126 out of a national figure of 50,000 of service personnel to serve in the region for 2010/2011 National Service year. They have been posted to various departments, ministries and agencies including the private sector.

They were deployed based on the request from these institutions and on special arrangements to support national programmes such as the Youth in Agriculture, National Plantation Development Project (NPDP) and Ghana National Coalition of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Mr Kwesi Quainoo, the NSS Director of Ashanti Region told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Kumasi on Wednesday.

"Out of the number of personnel deployed, Ghana Education Service received 5,521 personnel, tertiary institutions 1,024, Ministries Department and Agencies, 1,340 whilst Health and Private Organizations were given 1,025 service personnel.", he added. Mr Quainoo urged personnel to contribute their quota to national development by accepting postings to deprived areas where their services were most needed rather than influencing the secretariat to re-post them to the cities which are already choked.

Mr Quainoo said national service is a unique opportunity for a graduate to start independent life and to live on their own to manage their own affairs for the first time in life. He advised them to consider themselves as role models in their various places of posting and to exhibit a high sense of maturity in initiating development-oriented programmes to help the country to achieve its "Better Ghana Agenda."

Mr Quainoo, therefore, called on the public and stakeholders to assist all the personnel posted to their areas with accommodation to enable them to stay through the service period. Mr Emmanuel Asiedu-Boafo, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of NSS said that the Secretariat had put measures in place to ensure prompt payment of allowances for personnel and advised them to be more productive in their work places.