NSS, Jospong, AAC collaborate to enhance Ghana’s food security

The National Service Scheme (NSS) has unveiled an exciting partnership with the Jospong Group of Companies and the Asian-African Consortium (AAC) aimed at enhancing Ghana’s food security and lowering graduate unemployment.

Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, the Executive Director of the NSS, made this announcement during a two-day induction seminar themed “Service to enhance Ghana’s food security” at the Pentecost Convention Center in Gomoah Fetteh, Central Region.

The event was attended by one thousand national service personnel in the agricultural sector.

The primary goal of this collaboration is to provide service personnel with practical experiences that complement their theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom.

This initiative is part of the NSS’s broader vision of “Deployment for Employment.”

Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi expressed his appreciation to the Jospong Group and the AAC for their partnership and emphasized that it presents a significant opportunity for national service personnel to become “agric-prenuers” and contribute to reducing graduate unemployment in the country.

Additionally, he called on institutions and colleges that offer agricultural programs to modernize their curricula and introduce meaningful practical attachments, similar to the practices in other professions such as medicine.

Mr. Assibey Antwi urged the current batch of service personnel to take this unique opportunity seriously, reminding them that they are the first graduates following the NSS’s golden jubilee anniversary and, therefore, have a responsibility to set a positive precedent for future batches.

The NSS Director hinted at additional programs in various economic sectors, including housing and construction, ICT, tourism, and hospitality, designed to support the NSS’s mission of reducing the unemployment rate for Ghanaian graduates.

Furthermore, he acknowledged the significant impact of some 2023–2024 national service personnel assigned to positions in the tourism and hospitality industries.

He noted that strategic advertising and inventiveness had increased the occupancy rate of certain hotels in Ghana from 17% to 42%.

A recent report from the NSS’s research, monitoring, and evaluation unit indicated that most of these personnel secured permanent employment in various sectors of the country’s economy.

Dr. Joseph Siaw-Agyepong, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, revealed that more than forty-six farmer groups across all sixteen regions of Ghana have been engaged to serve as training centers for the service personnel.

He also announced the availability of over one hundred full scholarships for post-graduate studies in agriculture in countries such as Russia, Thailand, Japan, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe for outstanding personnel at the end of their service year.

Inspirational words were shared by Dr. Siaw-Agyepong, who encouraged service personnel to be passionate about their work, put in significant effort, and maintain good intentions in their pursuit of success.

Mrs. Adelaide Araba Siaw-Agyepong, the Chief Executive Officer of the Asian-African Consortium, expressed optimism about the project’s potential to provide hands-on experience and enhance personnel’s skills across the entire rice production value chain.

The program will encompass training in land preparation, agricultural research, mechanized farming, sustainable and data-driven farming, safety and compliance, networking, and career development.

She emphasized that this initiative would open doors to future job prospects for national service personnel, making them highly competitive in the job market upon completion of their service year.

The seminar was attended by the sixteen Regional Directors of the NSS, senior officers from the NSS Head Office, and various stakeholders within Ghana’s agriculture ecosystem, including Nana Kwabena Adjei Ayeh II, the president of the Ghana Rice Inter-professional Body (GRIB), and the 2021 national best youth farmer, Ms. Marian Ofori Twumasi.

Distinguished speakers motivated the service personnel and emphasized the abundant opportunities that the agricultural sector offers.

Dr. Joseph Siaw-Agyepong, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, concluded the event with a blessing and a prayer for the personnel’s success in their service.