Public Sector Wokrers Need 24/7 Working Hours

Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, Technical Advisor, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has called for a 24-hour, seven days work schedule for the public sector.

'That's the global standard. Public service should never go to sleep, so this is what we must do to make good use of our nights and improve service delivery,' he said at a stakeholders' engagement workshop on the national public sector reform strategy, (2018-2023) in Ho.

Dr. Osae said 24-hours seven days work in the public sector would reduce service delivery time, especially at the Passport and Driver and Vehicle License Authority offices and create employment for people who would be engaged for night shifts.

He said what was needed was for government to put in place, an 'input and output analysis' mechanism that placed strict supervision on the sector to ensure that the country made good use of the night.

Dr. Osae said the current eight-hour work schedule for the public sector was the reason for the country's low gross domestic product and said until Ghana started making 'good use of the night' it would continue to lose productive hour.

'The private sector works closely with the public sector and some private sector players work at night, so the public sector must not go to sleep at 5 pm,' he added.

Mr Thomas Kusi Boafo, Chief Executive Officer, Public Sector Reforms, said 'institutional, structural and functional inconsistencies and deficiencies; perceived corruption in the public sector; increasing dissatisfaction among the citizenry with the performance of the public sector' were among reasons necessitating a new strategic direction.

He said the reform vision of government was to create a 'responsive, efficient, and effective public sector, which plays the catalytic role of government to support the private sector in job and wealth creation at the centre of policies'.

Mr Boafo said the reform strategic plan would help correct shortfalls in the administrative service delivery system and address issues of absenteeism, apathy, ineptitude and perceived corruption, which had caused loss of trust and confidence in the public sector.

Mr Dela Gadzanku, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Volta/Eastern Chairman, commended government for the foresight and requested that public sector workers were sensitized on the work of private sector players for effective collaboration.

Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf stated government's commitment to repositioning the public sector to be 'responsive and not reactive.'

The workshop attracted directors and planning officers from Municipal and District Assemblies and other stakeholders.