The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, has asked regional coordinating directors as well as directors at the office of the head of Local Government Service nationwide, to create platforms to support government policies and plans.
She said this is important “for effective and timely implementation and achievement of [the President’s] intended results.”
Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama was speaking at a 3-day retreat organised by the Office of the Head of Local Government Service. The maiden meeting is part of the annual review mechanisms of the Local Government Service.
Held for the various regional coordinating directors and directors at the office of the Head of Local Government Service, the meeting was to help the Head of Local Government Service, IMG. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, familiarize himself with the service, and also find the best possible ways to work towards achieving his vision.
Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama noted that, “government is on an economic transformation and job creation agenda through industralization, agriculture and services.”
“Accordingly, work is currently ongoing for the development of a results framework, monitoring Matrix and a comprehensive implementation plan for the new Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) that links the goals, objectives and strategies with indicators and targets. The framework will cover MLGRD’s general administrative mandate, as well as those of the sustainable development goals and government’s manifesto promises.”
She noted that, “it is therefore necessary to have your plan and government’s plan in sync, this will go a long way in achieving the vision of transforming Ghana in agriculture, industries and service.”
She also admonished the Directors to “see each other as links within the long chain of the Local Government Service. The success of the Service depends on the support and cooperation you give each other.”
The Head of the Local Government Service, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, also re-echoed the need for all directors, “to place emphasis on the six service delivery standards.”
He asked that “as role models in the service who the generality of the staff look up to, we should allow these attributes not only to permeate our value systems but also be our guiding principle, in addition to the ethics and code of conduct of the service.”
He advised also that Directors “work with utmost dedication and commitment for the rest of the staff to emulate.”
Dr. Ato Arthur hinted that, “the Office of the Heads of Local Government Service had engaged nine consultants to conduct an independent Monitoring and Verification exercise on actual performance of the Regional Coordinating Councils and the Municipal, Metropolitan, District Assemblies in 2016.”
He thus urged all “regional coordinating directors to provide the needed support to the Monitoring and Verification consultants.”
–
By: Lauretta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana