Ghana Civil Service launches 2021 civil service week and awards ceremony
Report by: Ben LARYEA
The Ghana Civil Service has launched its 2021 Civil Service week and awards ceremony with the charge on management and staff to share innovative ideas and best practices to enhance productivity towards the socio-economic growth and development of the country.
The event, third (3) in the series is under the theme, “Economic Transformation and Covid-19 pandemic: The Responsibilities of an Adaptive Civil Service”.
Lining up of activities for the weeklong celebration at a press launch in Accra are as follows Christian and Muslim thanks giving service, public lecture, policy fair and exhibition, clean-up exercise and climax it with the awards ceremony.
Ghana Civil Service launches 2021 civil service week and awards ceremony
The celebration primarily focuses on the role of the Civil Service in supporting the country’s national development agenda and economic transformation even in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, it will also recognize outstanding performance of some officers, thus their contribution towards the achievements of the Service objectives.
Speaking at the launch, the Head of Civil Service Nana Agyekum Dwamena in a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Evans Aggrey Darkoh said the weeklong celebration seeks to project the importance of the civil service and policy formulation on national development and show appreciation to dedicated staff in the performance of duty as well deliberate and exchange ideas on public sector issues.
He explained that, the service have embarked on a robust performance management system to assess productivity and as part of the National Public Sector Reform (NPSR), hence it has enhanced its digitization agenda to serve clients effectively and efficiently.
Ghana Civil Service launches 2021 civil service week and awards ceremony
On E-recruitment, he said the service introduced a computer-based examination system opened to all interested applicants while online graduate entrance examination system is also deployed to prepare shortlisted applicants to apply for jobs.
“The Ghana Civil Service in 2020 conducted online promotion interviews for officers and explained that the move is part of the service adherence to the Covid-19 safety protocols which have minimized person to person interactions to curb the spread of the coronavirus”, he said and further added that 3,000 staff were interviewed online in 2020.
Throwing more light on staff training he said, virtual training programmes have been introduced to build the capacity of staff; hinting that 2,500 took part in the e-learning programmes and workshops in capacity building programmes.
According to him, the Service have established a counselling unit to attend to the psychological needs of staff saying, the workplace have become a source of pressure as research study have revealed among tight deadlines, complex tasks, unclear roles, poor work conditions among others have contributed largely to stress on staff.
He however urged all Civil Service staff to strictly observe the Covid-19 protocols and be mindful of the new variants that are emerging.
In a remark, Ing. Godwin J. Brocke, Chief Director at the Office of the Head of Civil Service said the event will help reflect on issues of the past and build on areas where there were challenges adding that it will build a united front of the workforce.
He however, thanked the management and staff of the service for their commitment and dedication to duty in every working endeavour.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
