Non-performing MMDCEs to face sanctions

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and their co-ordinating director counterparts who failed to meet key indicators outlined in the Performance Management System (PMS) of the Local Government law would be sanctioned.

The Head of the Local Government Service, Dr. Callistus Mahama, disclosed this at the launch and signing of a new performance contract between government, MMDCEs and Co-ordinating Directors, at a ceremony in Sekondi.

He said the Local Government Act, 2003, Act 656, had established the framework for assessing their performance, and indicated that an orientation programme had been organized to prepare them adequately to meet the key indicators in the PMS.

He explained that the PMS was a communication tool that would inform government and other stakeholders on how every Assembly was performing, adding that Assemblies would be reviewed every six months, to check and correct lapses before the final appraisal at the end of the year.

The six thematic areas that would be considered in the review process include Assemblies’ priority areas for development, human resource management, annual action plan, financial management, work environment and management of cross-cutting issues.

Dr. Mahama indicated that the PMS aimed at enhancing productivity, accountability and transparency, as well as ensuring judicious use of human and material resources, to improve the standards of living of the people.

He charged the MMDCEs and Co-ordinating Directors to provide quality leadership and necessary logistics, incentives and conducive work environment to the staff, in order to achieve the set targets.

He entreated the MMDCEs to assign roles to the various heads of department, and continually monitor to ensure that those tasks were executed.

He charged them to organize regular training programmes for staff to improve their competences, ensuring judicious use of internally-generated funds, as well as facilitating and co-ordinating activities to achieve key deliverables.

“The performance management system is a deviation from the performance assessment whereby persons who are due for promotion are usually assessed, but this one, your work is assessed continually, and when you failed to meet expectations, your contract can be terminated, demoted or re-assigned”, he stressed.

Dr. Mahama observed that this concept of appraisal would ensure chain of accountability, enhance clarity, and promote productivity and value for money.

In his welcome address, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Regional Minister, said the PMS would accelerate national development and ensure that persons who were given responsibilities stepped up their effort.

He pledged the commitment of the Regional Coordinating Council in ensuring regular monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the work of the various Assemblies in the region, and advocated the need for the provision of the necessary human and material resources to deliver on their mandate.

All the 22 MMDCEs and Co-ordinating Directors in the region were at the residency in Sekondi to sign the new performance documents.