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 growing public demands for 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 extensive real-world experience in the public sector. His consulting work with the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and other state agencies on public sector investment appraisal has provided him with deep insight into government operations.

At the core of Professor Mensah's vision is the promotion of merit-based procedures that prioritise skill over connections. This strategy departs from conventional appointment methods by creating pathways for competent individuals to rise through the ranks. The power of merit-based advancement is reflected in his own academic journey, which took him from a mathematics graduate at KNUST to a full professor. Public trust, he argues, is strengthened when local government jobs are filled on the basis of qualifications and experience rather than relationships.

His dedication to human capital development stems from his vast teaching background and extensive work training government officials from various agencies. His plans include regular training programmes designed to keep Local Government Service staff up to date with best practices.

Technology and data analytics also 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 policymaking where decisions are guided by 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 analyses for small and medium enterprises has given 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 to unlock resources and drive local economic growth.

Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of Professor Mensah’s reform agenda is financial autonomy. Leveraging his consulting experience with central banks and his work developing financial frameworks for agencies such as 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 safeguards and accountability mechanisms.

Professor Mensah’s multi-faceted approach addresses systemic challenges that have long undermined the effectiveness of the Local Government Service. His international exposure, combined with deep knowledge of Ghana's public sector, uniquely positions him 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 that Professor Mensah's vision resonates with Local Government Service staff and opinion leaders who have long called for reforms. As part of efforts to promote the values and culture of the Service, he has instituted a naming convention in which all conference rooms and floors are named after the core values of the Service. This ensures staff are constantly reminded of these ideals, influencing their behaviour and decision-making. For instance, the reception area of the OHLGS is named Timeliness, prompting both staff and clients to be conscious of time. Similarly, a conference room in the office complex is called Innovative Hall, inspiring staff to think creatively and embrace innovation in their work.

His emphasis on professionalism offers career development opportunities for dedicated Local Government Service staff while promising improved service delivery for communities. His proven 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 broader public sector reform. 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 better serves all Ghanaians.