Akufo-Addo champions revitalization of NSS with new policy launch

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has encouraged stakeholders to support the National Service scheme in achieving its objectives after welcoming the innovative measures being implemented under the Scheme to shape the future of the Ghanaian youth for the better.

He noted that it was an exercise worth supporting, particularly where it deals with the training, mentoring and coaching of personnel in the new policy guidelines by the scheme.

President Nana Akufo-Addo speaking at the launch of the National Service Policy Document, on Monday, April 15, 2024 in Accra at the College of Physicians and Surgeons’ auditorium announced the plans to regulate deployment processes and enhance learning opportunities during national service.

He expressed confidence that with the implementation of the new policy document, the NSS scheme will play an even more vital role in shaping the future of Ghana and empowering the nation’s youth to fulfill their potential.

“These interventions will solidify the NSS scheme’s position as one of the best in the West African and African region for deploying service personnel. I urge stakeholders to support the scheme in achieving its objectives. Let us embrace the new changes, focus, and face of the NSS.

I’m confident that with the implementation of this new policy document, the NSS scheme will play an even more vital role in shaping the future of our nation and empowering our youth to fulfil their potential.”

The policy, spanning 2024 to 2034, aims to reposition the NSS as one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of mobilisation, deployment and employment.

It was developed with the active participation of a cross-section of experts, including the business community and employers, academia, technocrats, as well as the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MMDAs).

The National Service programme is a compulsory one-year service required of all citizens of Ghana who are 18 years and above, at the time of deployment.

It seeks to encourage the spirit of national service among all segments of Ghanaian society in the effort of nation-building through active participation.

The Scheme, among others, focuses on undertaking projects designed to combat hunger, illiteracy, disease and unemployment in Ghana.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said the policy guidelines which aligned with the national development agenda, were critical in harnessing the job prospects of the service personnel.

Having operated for more than five decades, it was important that the mission and vision of the Scheme were updated to bring them to an appreciable standard for sustainable growth, he emphasized.

He lauded the Board and Management of the NSS for instituting those innovative measures in view of the crucial role the youth played in Ghana’s development.

The President cited the Youth-in-Agriculture programme and other policies introduced by his Administration to develop skilled manpower through practical training, as well as the implementation of the Free Senior High School, and vocational and technical programmes as some measures focusing on building a vibrant human resource base.

“The policy being launched today will enhance capacities, reinforce structures and enable the NSS to mobilise effectively and deploy the increasing number of graduates to areas of national priority,” he stated.

The Executive Director of NSS, Mr Osei Assibey-Antwi applied to the Government to facilitate the processes of upgrading the Scheme into the status of an Authority to enhance its operations.

He called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to swiftly sign the Ghana National Service Authority Bill 2024 into law.

The move aims to grant the secretariat authority and autonomy, as stated by the NSS during the policy launch on April 15, 2024.

Mr. Antwi, emphasized the need for the National Service scheme to be strengthened, capacitated, and significantly resourced to regulate the mobilization and deployment of personnel.

According to him, the new law will provide the authority with the opportunity to expand existing programs such as the NSS teaching model and NSS MSME accounting age.

This upgrade will solidify the NSS scheme’s position as one of the best in the West African and African region for deploying service personnel.

“The National Service scheme beyond this policy must be strengthened, capacitated, and significantly resourced to regulate the mobilization and deployment of personnel. I strongly believe that this can be done by upgrading the scheme from its status to a more noble and standardized institution.

In this regard, I wish to make a passionate appeal to the President that the Ghana National Service Authority Bill 2024, currently before Mr. President, will be approved. Mr. President, the new law will grant the authority the opportunity to expand existing programs such as the NSS teaching model and NSS MSME accounting age.”

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, explained that the policy document had been developed to address the challenges that inhibited the effective operation of the Scheme.

“This is a new NSS,” he asserted, noting that the significant educational feats chalked under the Nana Akufo-Addo-led Administration had helped to keep the Sustainable Development Goals in that sector on course.