Roadside Lectures Are No Substitute for Good Public Administration — Mansa Musa Writes

Watching Roads Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza publicly lecture a chief executive on how to perform his duties—by the roadside and under the full glare of media cameras—should concern all of us. The issue is not the minister’s desire to ensure standards are met; every minister has a responsibility to demand results. The deeper issue is what this episode reveals about the state of public administration in Ghana.

Too often, people are appointed to frontline administrative and managerial positions without adequate induction, structured training, or a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Instead of beginning their roles equipped with the knowledge, procedures, and performance standards required to succeed, many are left to learn on the job through trial and error.

That is not how a modern public service should function.

The guidance the minister delivered publicly should already exist in official policy documents, operational manuals, induction programmes, and sector‑specific training materials. Every chief executive and senior public official should receive comprehensive orientation before assuming office, with clearly defined responsibilities, performance expectations, reporting lines, and measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

When these systems are absent or poorly implemented, ministers inevitably find themselves stepping into operational roles that should have been addressed long before an appointee assumes office. Public roadside lectures then become a substitute for institutional capacity building. That is neither efficient nor sustainable.

This reflects a broader culture of institutional haphazardness that continues to undermine the effectiveness of Ghana’s public sector. It is one of the reasons performance targets are frequently missed, service delivery falls below expectations, and public confidence in state institutions continues to erode.

Professional public administration is built on systems—not personalities. It depends on structured induction, continuous training, clearly documented procedures, regular performance assessments, and accountability at every level. If these fundamentals are neglected, no amount of public reprimanding will compensate for weak institutions.

Perhaps this moment should serve as a reminder that Ghana must invest as much in building competent institutions as it does in appointing competent individuals.

Can we begin to do things properly this time—for a change? — Mansa Musa