The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 8th August, 2018, launched the National Public Sector Reform Strategy (NPSRS), 2018-2023.
The Strategy, according to President Akufo-Addo, “will lead to the creation of a new public service that is fit-for-purpose, which will help guarantee the delivery of high quality services for the Ghanaian people and the private sector.”
Speaking at the launch of the Strategy at the Accra International Conference Centre, the President indicated that when Ghana attained independence in 1957, an efficient public service, the envy of many in the Region, was bequeathed to the nation.
“It has, over the years, contributed its quota to our development and progress. In spite of its modest achievements, the Ghanaian people, in recent years, have expressed dissatisfaction with the systems of service delivery in the public sector. Whether it is about absenteeism or lateness, incompetence or corruption, the public sector is, today, unhappily, not seen in good light,” he said.
With successive Governments have undertaken various forms of reforms of the public sector, which have not helped very much, the President noted that the 2018 to 2023 NSPRS will review and modernise the current structures, systems, processes and internal management functions of the public sector, to support government’s development priorities.
“It will also help create the conditions necessary for the private sector to thrive, and, thereby, create employment opportunities for the youth, all within the context of our overall vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid,” he assured.
Human Resource
President Akufo-Addo stressed that a major goal of the Reform will be to strengthen the human resource capacity of the public sector to improve its delivery.
To this end, he indicated that public sector training institutions will be resourced to help develop the requisite skills and knowledge needed for the delivery of modern services.
“The process will also enhance the ethical foundation of the public sector and, in addition, introduce change management initiatives to deal with apathy, resistance and reform fatigue, which have been the bane of previous attempts at reform,” he said.
Conditions of service
With modernised and improved working conditions key to increasing productivity in the public service, the President stated that there is going to be a systematic review of public sector compensation in its entirety, with the institution of a suitable performance-based reward system to help guarantee increased productivity.
“The review will pursue opportunities for upgrading office space, and provide the necessary tools and equipment to improve the work environment within the Service. Additionally, a central assets and inventory check system to take stock of all physical assets in the public service will be established. Furthermore, a culture of maintenance of public assets and property must be revived and adhered to,” he added.
Other areas of concern in Government’s pursuance of reforms in the public sector, President Akufo-Addo noted, will be the strengthening of local government structures and the digitization of public sector services and systems.
With the mainstreaming and transforming and mainstreaming ICT in government agencies, he stated that “ultimately, the public sector will go paperless, and reduce drastically the interface that currently exists between citizens and public servants in the provision of services.”
President Akufo-Addo assured the Ghanaian people that this reform strategy will not suffer the same fate as past ones, as “matters relating to policy formulation and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and accountability, have been well factored into this strategy to ensure its smooth take off.”
Under the day-to-day supervision of the Senior Minister, and with Government ensuring the availability of resources for the implementation of this reform strategy, the President was confident that the National Public Sector Reform Strategy will be a great success.
He, therefore, urged members of the public service to embrace these reforms, for they represent effective means for the creation of a public service that will deliver for the citizenry and the private sector.
“An efficient public service will help realise our vision of a self-reliant, prosperous Ghana. It should serve as the impetus for re-shaping our country and charting a new path of growth and development in freedom, which will help deliver a dignified, prosperous standard of life to the Ghanaian people,” he concluded.
