The National Service Scheme (NSS) says it is hopeful of smooth posting of graduates in the 2020/2021 service year.

This, NSS says will be despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the interest of user agencies, including private companies, in recruiting service personnel for the year.

In July 2019, the National Service Scheme posted 77,962 personnel to various sectors with 11,614 of them ending up in private user agencies.

Postings for 2020 has, however, delayed for almost a month due to the coronavirus pandemic and its attendant restrictions.

This delay, coupled with the fold-up of businesses and cuts in employee wages has left prospective personnel frustrated and uncertain of what the future holds for them.

‘There’s (so much) anxiety that comes with all the delays, and I’m thinking where am I going to be posted to, am I prepared? What if the postings come and I don’t get what I want?’, asked a prospective personnel.

While the concerns of the personnel may be legitimate, the National Service Scheme says the pandemic has not affected the interest of private user agencies in recruiting service personnel this year.

Corporate Affairs Officer of the Scheme, Armstrong Esaah tells JoyNews that with over 111,000 pin codes issued to registered personnel, all is set for the successful deployment of personnel for the 2020/2021 service year.

‘We accept that Covid has brought some kind of economic contraction in our system, businesses are reducing their regular staff and activities.

"But we have received quite an encouraging number of official requests from user agencies.

"This indicates that private companies are (very much) still interested in recruiting our national service personnel’, he said.