Since the establishment of the National Service Scheme in 1973 which now operates under Act 426 (of 1980), graduates from tertiary institutions are posted to various organizations to spend a mandatory one year of service to the nation. What however bedevils the relevance of the National Service programme is the desire of almost the entire prospective service personnel to serve in major towns and cities. This to an extend defeats the entire purpose of the mandatory commitment. Prospective service personnel cannot however be wholly blamed for the present situation at hand. Service at certain locations and sectors cast a dangerously blurred future for the service personnel. For instance whilst service in certain sectors or locations especially in major towns and cities present a greater opportunity of future absorption and employment in that sector, service in other sectors and locations present a daunting task at the work place and yet a gloomy future for the personnel. Therefore acceptance of posting to a rural area where electricity, water and accessibility problems are enormous definitely deserves commendation and perhaps additional remuneration and other incentives for motivation and ease of work. Indeed, whilst the service is a delight to some people, it seems a distress to others depending on where one is engaged in the commitment. This therefore defines why people will go every available length of strength to change their postings to particular sectors and locations considered “better”. And when this fails the eagerness and dedication to the place of service becomes suspect. Also, in most cases the service is done with negligence and non-commitment. Because in these cases one sees it more as a matter of duty than a sense of identity killing the patriotism with which it should have been pursued. The National Service Scheme which has its slogan as “service to the nation” is primarily aimed at developing the potential of young people and create opportunities for them to deliver quality service to the disadvantaged. The primary objective is to encourage the spirit of national service among all segments of Ghanaian society in the effort of nation building and also providing essential services to deprived communities. However, this mandate of the institution seems to be gradually weakened and eroded with time, as only people without “people of influence” are those who seem to find themselves in the deprived areas coupled with the “misplacement” of professional skills. Though the scheme concentrates mostly on fields set by the Act that establishes the service and various initiatives by the secretariat such as agriculture, co-operatives, education, health, local government, military, rural development and youth programme, it seems the challenge of “misplacement” of service personnel needs consideration. For instance a student of Telecom Engineering will definitely serve better in a Telecom Company than being a teacher of a basic school. Though factors such as national programme, policy priorities of the secretariat, choice of region, extreme health conditions, human resource demand and supply, social integration and regional balance are important, the issue of professional grooming of service persons should be of interest to the state and not be sacrificed on the altar of patriotism. A recent statement of the National Service Coordinator, that some national service persons will direct traffic flow in some towns and cities of the country received mixed reactions and justifiably so. Even though this could be a national priority for the time being, it is capable of crippling service persons professional future as very few organizations will want to employ service persons with work experience in directing traffic flow. Perhaps, an unwavering passionate desire of posted graduates to make a commitment to Mother Ghana could serve as antidote to the current situation in the service administration. Definitely not all can work in the urban areas of the country. A philosopher once said we should go where we are celebrated and not where we are tolerated. Service persons must see commitment at a rural area as the best they can do for the country and where they would indeed be celebrated as heroes. As John F. Kennedy puts it “we should not ask what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country”. In any service, it is the mindset to serve that makes things easier not necessarily the physical environment or conditions surrounding the engagement. This aside, the National Service Secretariat must incentivize service personnel in certain sectors and locations of the country with motivational packages such as scholarships to service personnel for further studies, additional allowances, and other needed logistics where necessary. For instance for those posted to remote areas where means of transport is non-existent, the provision of motorbikes which would be used on a yearly basis by service personnel to aid transportation would lighten their burden and enhance output of personnel. These motorbikes can be kept at the various District Assemblies for subsequent years. This will boost prospective service persons’ zeal to serve in such “unpalatable” locations. But the new paradigm begins with the mindset of the Ghanaian youth geared towards improving the lives of fellow “unlucky” Ghanaians at the secluded corners of the country irrespective of the impediments - kudos to those who gave out their best in such areas. To those that are yet to be posted, let the words of the national pledge resound “… I promise on my honor, to be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland, I pledge myself to the service of Ghana, with all my strength and with all my heart…”. May Mother Ghana always be put first to all our personal hopes and aspirations. God bless our home land Ghana and make our nation great and strong. By: Solomon Anzagra (sanzagra@yahoo.com) and Samuel Appiah Adjei (appiahadjei281@gmail.com) KNUST-KUMASI, GHANA- W.AFRICA