The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Final Year Students receives Pre-Service Orientation from the Ghana National Service Scheme
The Ghana National Service Scheme (GNSS) on Tuesday, 20th March, 2018, organised a Pre-Service Orientation programme for final year students of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). The programme which took place at the Jophus Anamoah-Mensah Conference Centre at the North Campus of UEW, Winneba comprised of both morning and afternoon sessions.
The team from the National Service Secretariat was led by Dr. Gifty Oware-Aboagye, (Deputy Executive Director (Finance and Administration), Central Regional Director, Rev. Kwame Adjei, Director of ICT, Mr. Robert Nii Laryea Kumah, Director in Charge of Deployment, Miss Emma Hammond, the Central Regional Administrator, Mr. Daniel Dawusu, Central Regional Accounts Officer, Mr. Patrick Sarkwah and Acting Municipal Office Assistant, Mr. Kwabena Aikins,
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Samuel M. Yirenkyi and CEO of Shape Attitude Ghana, Mr. Wonderful Baisie Ghartey.
Dr. Samuel M. Yirenkyi, who chaired the programme underscored the need for National Service in every Ghanaian students’ life. He encouraged the students to take the information they acquired from the Pre-Service Orientation seriously and urged them to do their National Service when they complete their courses in the University. They should also show commitment and be disciplined wherever they are sent to do the service and uplift the image of UEW.
Rev. Kwame Adjei in his welcome address, said that the Pre-Service Orientation programme is a major and important occasion for final year students or prospective National Service Personnel to interact with the staff of the Scheme. He told the students not to see the one-year service period as “National Suffering”, as some may want to put it, but rather as a chance to change and develop their respective societies.
Dr. Gifty Oware-Aboagye talked briefly about the history of National Service and the benefits involved in taking part in it. She explained to the students some of the rules governing the participation of the service and how they go a long way to affect the personnel every year. She encouraged the students to take the rules seriously and be guided by them in order not to face the punishments in the National Service Act (426) of 1980.
Mr. Robert Nii Laryea Kumah, explained the steps in the enrollment and registration processes. In a power point presentation, he demonstrated the registration processes since the system had been worked on and new changes had been made. He also showed them what would appear on the screen when the registration process is completed and how their forms should appear when checking for their NSS placements online.
Again, he took students through the payment processes for National Service and explained to them, the breakdown of the 40 Ghana cedis payment at any ADB bank before the registration process begins. Mr. Kumah showed them samples of the identification cards that should be used for the registration and gave them help lines for more enquiries. Passport, Voter’s, Driver’s, or SSNIT cards could all be used in the registration process.
Mr. Wonderful Baisie Ghartey introduced the students to his Organisation, Shape Attitude Ghana. Explaining the role of National Service Personnel (NSP) in addressing poor sanitary conditions in their various communities, he encouraged them to be agents of change and assume leadership roles in changing the mindset of people living in these communities for development.
In both sessions, the programme offered an opportunity to the students to ask varied questions through an open forum and answers were provided by the NSS team.