Workers urged to adjust to innovations

Akyawkrom (Ashanti Region) - Public Workers were on Monday urged to adjust to innovations in the sector to ensure that the shift towards private sector led economy becomes a reality.

"The attitude must be that of client-oriented service provider and a facilitator rather than a controller".

Dr Stephen Adei, Director-General of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said this at a six-week capacity building training course for District Co-ordinating Directors in Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo at the Wood Industries Training Centre (WITC) at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juaben district.

The 40 participants are being introduced to topics relating to human resource management, public sector economics, communication skills, constitutional framework of the Civil Service and principles and practice of public administration.

The Director-General noted that, with the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programmes, (SAP) in the 80's, there have been fundamental shifts from government -controlled economy to the private sector.

He said with this, the public servant is now expected to facilitate private sector and civil society activities through policy advice and implementation of policies.

Dr Adei reminded them that, with the improvement in information technology the old methods of managing economies are no longer effective.

"The power of information is no longer confined to the few, who walk with those in the corridors of power and that the public servant now requires a host of complementary skills to make him or her relevant", he added.

The Director-General said there should be a completely different kind of leadership and organisational behaviour, saying, the core leadership of the public service must be chosen with care, motivated and tasked to create a dynamic system that responds to the needs of the private sector.