Professor Lord Mensah has taken the helm of the Local Government Service (LGS) with a transformative agenda that promises to reshape how the Service operates across the country.

His appointment coincides with public demands for their leaders to be more accountable, transparent, and efficient.

The new Head of the LGS has outstanding credentials. Professor Mensah, who holds a PhD from the University of Antwerp in Belgium and is a Full Professor of Financial Economics at the University of Ghana Business School, combines a wealth of international academic knowledge with a wealth of real-world experience in the public sector.

His consulting work with the Bank of Ghana, Ministry of Finance, and training of state agencies on public sector investment appraisal provides him with deep understanding of government business.

Core of Professor Mensah's vision is merit-based procedures that prioritise skill over relationships. This strategy deviates from conventional appointment methods by establishing channels for competent people to advance through the ranks.

The power of merit-based advancement is demonstrated by his own academic journey, which took him from KNUST mathematics graduate to full professor. Public trust inevitably arises when local government jobs are filled on the basis of qualifications and experience rather than connections.

The professor's dedication to ongoing human capital development is a result of his vast teaching background and work, training government officials from several agencies. His plans include regular training programs designed to keep Local Government Service staff current with best practices.

Technology and data analytics feature prominently in Professor Mensah's modernisation agenda. Drawing from his research background and international conference presentations across Europe, America, and Africa, he advocates for evidence-based policy making where decisions are grounded in solid data rather than assumptions.

Economic development forms another pillar of his vision through strategic private sector partnerships. His consulting work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry on cost-benefit analysis for small and medium enterprises gives him direct insight into effective government-business collaboration.

As Executive Director of the African Centre for Development Finance, he is uniquely positioned to facilitate such partnerships that can unlock resources and drive local economic growth.

Financial autonomy represents perhaps the most ambitious aspect of Professor Mensah's reform agenda. Drawing from his consulting experience with central banks and his work developing financial frameworks for agencies like the National Peace Council, he plans to strengthen fiscal decentralisation. This will empower local governments to generate and manage their own revenue streams more effectively while maintaining proper safeguards and accountability mechanisms.

The Professor's multi-faceted approach addresses systemic challenges that have long hampered Local Government Service effectiveness. His international exposure combined with deep knowledge of Ghana's public sector positions him uniquely to implement reforms that are both globally informed and locally relevant. By tackling human resource development, technology adoption, partnership building, and financial management simultaneously, he aims to create synergistic improvements across all areas.

Early indicators suggest Professor Mensah's vision resonates with Local Government Service staff and opinion leaders who have long called for reforms.
As a way of promoting the values and culture of the Service, the HoS instituted a naming convention.

Currently, all conference rooms and floors are named after the core values of the Service, staff are constantly reminded of these ideals thereby influencing their behavior and decision making. For example, the reception of the OHLGS is named ‘Timeliness’, prompting staff and all clients to be time conscious. Additionally, a conference room in the office complex is named ‘Innovative Hall’, this inspires staff to think creatively and strive for innovation in their work.

His emphasis on professionalism offers career development opportunities for dedicated Local Government Service staff while promising better services for communities. His track record of successfully training government officials and implementing complex financial frameworks provides confidence that his vision can be translated into practical results.

The transformation of the Local Government Service under Professor Mensah's leadership could serve as a model for public sector reform more broadly. His unique combination of international academic credentials, extensive consulting experience, and deep understanding of Ghana's governance challenges offers hope for a more effective and accountable system of local governance that serves all Ghanaians better.