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10.08.2009 General News

'True Civil Servant Must Stay The Course'

10.08.2009 LISTEN
By ISD (Katherine S Carboo, Washington D.C.)

The Chief of Staff, Mr John Newman (sixth from right) and Dr K Duffour, Minister for Finance (fifth from right) in a group photograph with Staff of the Embassy of Ghana, Washington D.C Mission. The Chief of Staff of Ghana, Hon John H Newman said Public Servants have been tasked to focus on public service and not be contaminated by politics; 'the true civil servant must stay the course of the Service.'

Mr Newman made this statement when he addressed Staff of the Embassy of Ghana, Washington D.C Mission, during a working visit.

Present at the meeting was the Minister for Finance & Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor and Acting Head of Mission Mr Adulphus Arthur.

The delegation was in Washington to transact Government business at the World Bank and the IMF.

Disclosing the purpose of their visit, Hon Newman said, it is important for the World Bank to be let into the government economic agenda of redesigning Ghana's finances based on present economic issues confronting the country.

He further said, though the Bank has come in to help, it is a matter of great sacrifice on the part of the masses whose expectation is at variance with the present state of financial standing of the nation.

However, he noted, it is gratifying to know that the economic perception is presently doing very well in the current political dispensation.

'We must be cost conscious to be able to sign on to the President's mission of 'accountability and good vision' for Ghana, he emphasised.

He therefore said, there is the need for all Public Servants, to show a great sense of commitment, discipline and dedication to work.

Underscoring the importance of true public service, Hon Newman expressed dismay that issues of Public Service have been lost on Ghanaians, though provision of service to compatriots are compensated accordingly.

He attributed this to the commercialisation of Greenhill Institute of Public Administration, which originally was an institution for the training of Senior Civil Servants; to ensure their conformity to the rudiments of their core duties in the recent past.

Hon Dr Kwabena Duffour in his contribution divulged a rather disheartening canker in the Service, the leakage of vital and secret government information.

'When an office 'leaks' what do you do, how do you handle it? We are serving Ghana, not individuals, dedication, great sense of duty and integrity must guide all Public Servants.'

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