National Service week launched in Accra

The Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Ablakwa Okudzeto, on Tuesday said the current global economic crisis has made access to capital difficult and urged the youth to be more creative and look out for available opportunities to better their lot. He said job offering by government could not cater for the many job seeking young Ghanaian school leavers.Mr Ablakwa said this when he launched the Greater Accra regional celebration of national service week on the theme "Rekindling the spirit of volunteerism, the role of the national service scheme." He called on volunteers not only to focus on the privileged educated but also those not privileged, adding that volunteers were very helpful service providers.Mr Ablakwa urged the youth to take advantage of areas such as the green movement, and to form non-governmental organizations to widen the employment net. "Let's look at ways of thinking of not only government employment but creative ideas. Let's make the necessary move and see what the small NGO can do."Mr Kwame Fosu Agyen, Regional Director of national service, said the service scheme had already blazed the trail by implementing a national volunteer scheme (NVS) since 2003.He said the target of the NVS is deprived schools in the rural and peri-urban areas, adding that in the 2005/2006 service years, the Greater Accra Region recorded 172 personnel, and 631 in the 2006/2007 service year. The 2007/2008 figure rose to 894 and reduced to 736 in 2008/2009 service year, he added.He said the service scheme had been of immense contribution in terms of teacher supply, as well as the provision of quality education in the Islamic schools.
Source:GNA