The National Service Secretariat (NSS) says the October 15 date it has set for new personnel to report to their stations remains unchanged. In an interview with the Times, the Director of Public Affairs, Ambrose Entsiwah Jnr., said despite reports that the ongoing National Population and Housing Census, which was critical in determining the reporting date would be extended, "the secretariat still goes by its initial date." The interview was pre-empted by an earlier statement by Mr. Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, Executive Director of the NSS, that personnel should officially enrol on October 15, to allow them to participate in the on-going National Population and Housing Census of which the NSS is a major stakeholder. Mr. Entsiwah said "it is very unfortunate that the National Population and Housing Census has encountered challenges and has to be extended, nevertheless we still stick to our initial date which would mean they might assume post when the exercise is still ongoing". On the issue of accommodation for enrolled personnel, Mr. Entsiwah urged the personnel to remain calm as arrangements had been made with various NSS regional co-ordinating councils and the GES where over 60 per cent of the personnel had been posted. The National Service Scheme has deployed a total of 50,069 personnel to undertake their national service duties in areas such as education, health, agriculture, local government for the 2010/11 season. Out of the figure, 32,375 were deployed to the education sector to teach in schools without teachers. An additional 2,360 have also been posted to support education delivery at the tertiary level in the form of Reaching and research assistants, 5,135 to the health sector and 200 to various districts to identify and document potential tourism sites for development. Source: The Ghanaian Times