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Key Text Public Sector Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Can be Learnt from the Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme in Ghana?

Author: K. B. Antwi, F. Analoui, D. Nana-Agyekum
Date: 2008
Size: 12 pages (207 KB)

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Summary

This Public Administration and Development article examines the Ghana Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme. Findings suggest that Public Sector Reform (PSR) needs to focus on developing public officials who are talented professionals and responsive to public concerns. Successful PSR should consider three broad issues: critical success factors such as political and bureaucratic leadership commitment; public scepticism of government institutions and its operatives; and the country-specific context.

PSR is thought to lead to better service delivery and to create a climate conducive to private sector development. Further objectives of PSR include efficiency and reduced cost, and securing the legitimacy and responsiveness of democratic government. The goal of the Ghana Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme (GCSPIP) was to develop the capacity of the GCS to deliver effective, efficient and customer-oriented service.

While the results of the mechanical routine aspects of the GCSPIP were impressive, the actual level of enduring change, (reflected in the management and staff’s attitude and behaviour, and in the organisational culture), was unacceptable. Weaknesses in the design and the implementation processes included the following:

  • The pilot study was very small and the impact review was in reality only cosmetic.
  • Too many reform activities happened concurrently, with inadequate sequencing. This seemed to have overburdened the same people and did not exploit the synergies of the various reform dimensions (such as public financial management, legal, and decentralisation reform).
  • Key service-wide constraints relating to budget reform, pay and reward reforms were not undertaken. This dampened employee morale.
  • Support for the reforms at the highest level (both political and bureaucratic) was cosmetic.
  • The expected skills transfer did not take place because the programme was aimed at meeting targets.
  • The capacity of local private sector consultants who facilitated the reform process should have been increased.

PSR needs to develop public officials who are talented professionals and responsive to public concerns. Three other broad issues need to be recognised in future civil service reform efforts:

  • 'Critical success factors’ include wholehearted political and bureaucratic leadership commitment; thoughtful synergistic planning/preparation; patience for implementation and evaluation; the capacity to convince and accommodate critics; sustainable financial and technical resource availability; and the nurturing of public support.
  •  Reformers need to appreciate public concerns and civil society’s scepticism of public institutions.
  •  A reform programme must be country-specific, taking account of history, culture, politics, economy, sociology, ideology and values.

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Source: Antwi K.B., Analoui F., Nana-Agyekum D., 2008, 'Public Sector Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Can be Learnt from the Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme in Ghana?', Public Administration and Development, Volume 28, pp. 253-264
Author: Farhad Analoui , f.analoui[at]bradford.ac.uk


 

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