ACCA to build capacity of national service personnel : Before deployment

The National Service Scheme (NSS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) to build the capacity of prospective national service persons before they are deployed to user agencies.

The collaboration, which would span the next five years, would begin from July to August, 2016. 

It would enable prospective service persons to acquire career development skills, financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills and corporate ethical values.

Signing of MoU

At a brief ceremony at the NSS secretariat in Accra on Wednesday to sign the MoU, the Executive Director of the NSS, Dr Michael Kpesa-Whyte, explained that the initiative was meant to bridge the gap between the classroom and the world of work.

“There has been a conversation between the two institutions about the fact that there is a missing link between the classroom and the real work environment that ought to be filled. I am happy for this collaboration,” Dr Kpesa-Whyte said.

He signed the MoU on behalf of the NSS while the head of East and West Africa of the ACCA, Mr Norman G. Williams, led a five-member team to sign for the ACCA.

Capacity-building workshops

Dr Kpesa-Whyte said as part of the agreement, series of capacity-building workshops would be held in all regional centres to prepare the prospective NSS persons to make a smooth transition into the user agencies.

He urged prospective beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity that would be offered them to help minimise the tendency whereby some user agencies released NSS persons who failed to perform to standard.

In his speech, Mr Williams said the initiative was meant to augment the efforts made by the government to promote the development of the youth.

“We piloted this initiative in the Accra, Kumasi and Tamale centres for some NSS persons before the 2015/16 service began.  It is very useful and will help to promote the country’s development,” he said.