BIA calls for overhauling of civil service

The Bureau for Internal Affairs (BIA), an anti corruption organisation, has called on the public to blame the attitude of some civil servants for the national economic woes and not government officials alone.

The Bureau is therefore calling for the total overhauling of the various ministries and state institutions, as a matter of urgency in order to rescue the economy from the current difficulties.

A statement issued by Cynthia Essandoh, Coordinator of BIA in Accra on Thursday and copied to Ghana News Agency said bureaucracy, for instance, the long time some civil servants respond to letters, from the public tend to slow down vital commercial activities.

It said the Trade Ministry is noted for these bureaucratic impediments.

The statement said on July 17, the Mr Haruna Iddridu, out-going Minister of Trade gave a directive following a meeting with Small Scale Rice Dealers Association of Ghana in Accra, that the Sampa border in the Brong-Ahafo Region, should be opened to facilitate the inland importation of rice, but up to date this has not been implemented.

“Though we expect government officials to come out with policies that can help cushion the economy, it is as if most of the heads of these institutions have no intentions to assist the nation succeed,” the statement said.

The BIA is therefore calling on government to do internal transfer of civil servants, who have been at post at a particular position for too long in order to give way to vibrancy.

“It is about time we change the people at the helm of affairs and see if things will not get better,” the statement said.

Charting the way forward, the BIA appealed to the Presidency to establish its own central information gathering point in order to bridge the gap between the authorities and the people.

This statement said would help the Government do proper checks over the ministries and also help get first hand information on happenings in the country.