The youth must accept postings to rural areas - Veep

Accra, July 29, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has encouraged the youth to accept postings to deprived rural communities where their services would be most needed to enhance the country's development.

He noted that the youth has a responsibility to give back to society for helping to support their education.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur gave the encouragement when he joined hundreds of National Service Personnel for this year's 'Day of Gratitude' programme at Burma Camp.

The programme, which was instituted two years ago, was intended to show gratitude to government, user agencies; both private and public institutions, as well as National Service Personnel for accepting postings to work with these organisations and the deprived rural communities.

The NSS was established in 1973 under the Acheampong Regime as a means of encouraging students to give back to the people for helping to support their training.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the institution of the NSS had helped the youth to travel to different parts of the country to offer critical services as well as appreciate the customs and culture of the people.

He commended the National Service Personnel for the important services they continue to provide to deprived communities of the country.

He said over the years the National Service Personnel have had great influence on the communities in which they served and as such had become agents of change in those areas.

Dr Kpessah Whyte, the Acting Executive Director of NSS, explained that the objective for the programme is to thank the service personnel for the sacrifices they make by accepting postings to deprived areas across the country.

He lauded the user agencies for understanding the philosophy behind the NSS and willingly accepting the personnel to mentor them for the task ahead.

He said the programme was also an opportunity for the service personnel to express their gratitude to the state and user agencies for the chance to work with them.

Dr Kpessah Whyte also announced that the NSS intends to rollout a new programme dubbed; 'Prepare, Expose, Experience and Readiness (PEER)' programme to prepare the personnel for the larger life ahead and the responsibilities beyond the academic institutions.

He said by posting personnel to different parts of the country, the NSS was exposing them to the diversity of culture as well as to learn to be tolerant of other peoples' views and circumstances.

He said but for National Service Personnel in some schools there would have been no teachers to teach.

GNA