Veep Criticises Management Practices Of Subvented Organizations

Akosombo (Eastern Region), 29 Oct. Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills today opened a workshop on public sector re-invention and modernisation strategy with a strong criticism of the managerial and institutional deficiencies in government subvented agencies. He said the combined effect of these deficiencies is non- performance and excessive strain on the national budget adding that this ''must be discontinued''. The two-day workshop being organised by the National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP) is being attended by more than 50 top executives from the public and private sectors and managers of relevant reform initiatives. Also attending are members of the National Overview Committee (NOC) of NIRP and local and international facilitators. It is aimed at arriving at a consensus on key strategies being proposed by the NIRP to implement a public sector reform and modernisation programme in Ghana. Professor Mills said ''the hard choices of closing down non- performing institutions ... the merger or retention of some institutions will have to be made.'' Prof. Mills said accountability involves the responsibility for achieving goals and asked public office holders to work responsibly and be answerable to their success or failure. He said the biggest challenge facing the public service is the provision of services to meet the needs of its clients. ''Hitherto, this idea of setting standards and informing the public has not been part of the management culture if the civil service. This must change.'' Prof. Mills said government is ensuring that civil service institutions that deal directly with the public produce brochures defining their standards of service, delivery and procedures for the public to follow in using their services. He called for a proper integration of cabinet processes into the macro business planning to ensure effective coordination of policy and priority setting at the national level. Prof. Mills said the government instituted the Public Financial Management Reform Programme (PUFMARP) to solve the ''deep-seated problems'' of the public service such as increased public expenditure and mismanagement. Dr Alexander Appiah Korantemg, National Coordinator of NIRP, said the strategic plan to be discussed at the workshop includes modern management structures, processes and systems, human capacity building, accountability, information management and technology. He said once the workshop achieves its objectives, the NOC will plan the way forward for implementation to start next year with the hope that significant success will be recorded by the end of 1998. Dr Koranteng said implementation of the strategies will rest with the respective institutions. Mr Peter Harrold, World Bank country director, said he was happy that the reform programme was home-grown and was being implemented outside the public service, thereby avoiding interests likely to plague it if it was done from inside. He pledged the technical and financial support of the World Bank for the programme ''without imposing its own conditions.'' Ms Patience Adow, Eastern Regional Minister, expressed the hope that the workshop will attain and fulfil its objective to justify the ideas and confidence of government in the reform programme. Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker who presided, expressed the hope that participants will positively deliberate on the strategy so that something positive will emerge.