The Office of the Dean of Students (ODS), in collaboration with the National Service Secretariat (NSS), has held a two-day orientation programme for all final year students of the University of Cape Coast, to prepare them for the 2021/2022 National Service Year.

Mr. Daniel Dawuso, the Acting Regional Director for NSS in the Central Region said that “the core-mandate of National Service is employment, mobilization, and development of National Service Persons, and the orientation is a core component in preparing students to undertake the national service.” He explained that the rationale of the orientation was to educate the final year students on preparations, the implications of not undertaking their national service, enrollment, registration processes, and the prompt payment of allowances.  He also seized the opportunity to encourage the students to fully partake in the one-year national service after their graduation to gain working experience.  He said all participants would receive a National Service Certificate upon completion.

He added that the National Service Secretariat was positioned as a strategic institution to avoid a situation where the government institutions lacked the requisite manpower needed for nation-building. Mr. Dawuso also explained that there were strict criteria for personnel posting. He said, “We do not post personnel to organizations that already have the needed manpower. We spread the service personnel evenly to institutions.”

Mr. Ernest Adanse, an official from the National Service Secretariat, guided the students through the National Service online registration, and the process for accessing their postings.