Minister directs headcount in MMDAs
The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has announced a nationwide headcount of all staff at the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).
Mr Ibrahim said the headcount was meant to ensure that all staff in the 261 MMDAs were at post and working for the development of the country.
He said it was worrying that although about 40,000 staff were said to have been posted to the MMDAs through the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS), most of them were ghost workers.
“I have not gone around the MMDAs yet, but the briefing I have from the handover notes shows that there are about 40,000 workers in the OHLGS distributed among 261 MMDAs.
If you divide that number by the 261 MMDAs, every assembly will have over 150 staff; but when you go there, you will see only 20 or 30 people at work while the rest are nowhere to be found.
“People take it that they are on payroll but they do not want to work. We have to do a headcount so that the few who are working diligently will be seen and rewarded as expected, then those who do not go to work will be seen and the necessary action taken,” he stressed.
First meeting
The minister stated this at his first meeting with the directors, technocrats and heads of departments of all agencies under the Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry in Accra yesterday.
The meeting started on an ecstatic note as the staff sang praises to God for protection.
Mr Ahmed was sworn into office by President John Dramani Mahama last Friday after being approved by Parliament.
Timelines
While assuring the senior staff that his doors were open for collaborative work to protect the country’s governance at the local level, he stressed that the issue of ghost workers was crucial and would be dealt with urgently.
When he was asked about timelines for the proposed headcount to establish the workforce at the MMDAs, the minister said it would be as soon as possible.
“The government is yet to bring a budget; the budget will be approved by March 31, this year; and when that happens I will go on a familiarisation tour of the MMDAs to see things for myself.
“They will be aware that we are coming. The Chief Director will send a circular directing them to provide the list of all their staff on paper and when we go we will put heads to those names,” he said.
Deployment of technology
The minister said the ultimate aim was to deploy digital technology to monitor attendance at work across the MMDAs to ensure that there was value for money.
He said all staff under the OHLGS would be brought under the direct supervision of the ministry to ensure proper coordination.
He said the reset agenda of the government required that all public sector workers had a renewal of mindset for ethical governance and leadership, “and this must start from the grassroots where the MMDAs operate”.
Assurance
Mr Ibrahim said he would prioritise the implementation of key reforms to improve the local governance system.
He said the reforms would range from the introduction of digitised monitoring and supervision systems to putting sanitation in the operations of all MMDAs.
He further pledged to work closely with the chiefs and traditional rulers to address conflicts and build a robust chieftaincy institution.
The minister stressed that those reforms required all staff of the ministry to reset their mind and be committed to their duty in the sole interest of the country.
Mr Ibrahim said the pull him down, badmouthing and the business-as-usual approach to duty would not be countenanced in the reset agenda.
He said at the heart of that agenda would be a bold step towards addressing the country's sanitation challenges, particularly waste management.
Chieftaincy key
Mr Ibrahim said the merger of the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry with the Local Government Ministry was to ensure synergy and strengthen those institutions.
“I therefore urge all staff and stakeholders to roll up their sleeves and get to work,” he said.
He said he was going to collaborate with all stakeholders and partners, including the media, to achieve the targets set out in the reset agenda by the government.
No witch-hunt
Mr Ibrahim assured the staff of the ministry that he would not witch-hunt anyone in the line of duty.
"I am a professional politician so you will see the politician in me. You are professional technocrats and civil servants, so work as professionals. We will win together and lose together.
“I am here to work with an open mind and a loving heart and I expect you to reciprocate the same,” he said.
Mr Ibrahim said he would draw on the experience of former ministers of the ministry to ensure that the work went well.
No political colours
The minister urged all staff under the Local Government Ministry to shelve their political colours and work in the sole interest of the country.
“Let us not convert public offices into political party offices. I am ready to give you way to operate professionally, so play your part as well,” he said.