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Opinions of Monday, 25 February 2013

Columnist: Thompson, Kofi

Time To Raise Productivity Levels In Ghana's Public Sector

By Kofi Thompson

We are lucky in Ghana that the vast majority of ordinary people want our nation to remain peaceful and united. Living in a well-ordered society matters to many in Ghana.

That is one of the reasons why many Ghanaians pray for wisdom for our political leaders (across the spectrum) - and hope that God will give them the courage to do what is right for Ghana and all its people always.

Most discerning and independent-minded Ghanaians also prefer that the technocrats and other public servants who ensure that the machinery of state functions smoothly, will also be imbued with a spirit of patriotism - and make service to Ghana and all its people what inspires them throughout their working lives.

Many discerning and independent-minded Ghanaians also prefer public servants to leave active politics to their nation's political class.

They would rather public sector-employees never allowed themselves to be manipulated by political parties desirous of sabotaging governments of the day -in the hope of making a regime in power unpopular.

Ghana's public-sector employees must always remember that the very important work that they do daily enables Ghanaian society to function effectively.

It is thanks to the hard work of some public-sector employees, for example, that Ghanaians have access to potable water and electricity - the availability of both of which ensure that most people in Ghana can enjoy a reasonably decent quality of life.

In view of the extra burden now shouldered by taxpayers as a result of improved salary levels for public-sector employees (the so-called single-spine salary structure), surely, the time has now come for Ghanaian public-sector employees to resolve to raise productivity levels throughout the public sector in Ghana? Nothing short of that will do. A word to the wise...

Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com.