Minister Expresses Worry Over Public Sector Bureaucracy

By Bernard Benghan

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has express worry about the long bureaucratic process associated with the public sector.

He explained that slow decision making and services had made it difficult for the public service to respond swiftly to businesses which had put them at a disadvantage to their competitors.

Speaking at the maiden conference of the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Management Consultants (CIAMC)-Ghana yesterday in Accra, Mr Awuah noted that the situation had also contributed to the low employee morale.

He said administrators employed at the various public services should be allowed to take administrative task in policies, rules and regulations and administer them.

Mr Awuah noted that the strict rules and regulations imposed in bureaucracies seem to remove the freedom of individuals to act and discern on their own due to certain restrictions.

He added that the specialised tasks of employees made it difficult for them to function outside their department which had made the public sector look unproductive.

"The public sector must endeavour to do away with the administrative bureaucracy to enhance productivity and more efficient public service delivery," he said.

The Chief Executive of CIAMC-Ghana, Mr Samuel Asafo, expressed concern about the apparent failing admiration for the administrative career.

He said the public sector workers were worried to the extent that, they feared there was no future for those who profess administration as a career, following political interference in their work.

"If as a nation, we are to achieve stability, growth and national development, then, administration should not be disregarded and treated as irrelevant," he said.

The Board of Trustees of CIAMC-Ghana, Mr Paul Hammond, said CIAMC-Ghana was mandated to promote excellence in the practice of professional administration and management by examining, chartering and regulating the practice of members.

He said the institute was yet to acquire parliamentary legislation that would give the legal backing for enforcement of their code of ethics and standards to instil professionalism.

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