INTRODUCTION

Public perception of and experience with the quality and mode of delivery of outputs/services sourced from public service organsations in Ghana have not often been very positive and satisfactory.

Whether one was processing papers to acquire titleship to a piece of land, clearing goods from the ports, registering a business or obtaining crucial information from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the efforts have most invariably been fraught with extreme frustration and cost.

Various attempts have been made since the eighties to encourage the public sector to improve the delivery of public services.

EFFORTS AT REFORM

The Government established the Ministry of Public Sector Reform to "own and drive a continuous process of public sector reforms”.

It is in the attempt to address the problems encountered in the public sector reforms in a holistic manner that the President's initiative to adopt a Citizens' Charter in Ghana should be appreciated.

Ghana has adopted a Citizen’s Charter in line with the global concept of effective Public service delivery and good governance. This effort is further reinforced by the Government's ardent pursuit of the tenets of good governance underscoring the need for transparency, accountability, prompt responsiveness to the needs of the citizens and all participants and a zero tolerance for corruption.

THE NEW CITIZEN'S CHARTER INITIATIVE

The New Citizens’ Charter is a brief public document that provides the essential information that citizens and stakeholders need to know about the services or functions of a public agency/department of the government and the manner in which they can assess the services efficiently. The underlying assumption is that when people are empowered with such information they will be able to hold the state and its agencies accountable.

There are a number of principles that every citizen and all stakeholders are entitled to expect:

• Published standards of service
• Greater openness and information
• Choice and consultation where possible
• Courteous and helpful service
• Redress when things go wrong
• Value for money

SCOPE AND IMPLEMENTATION

A sectoral approach was adopted in the development of The New Citizens Charter by identifying and highlighting linkages and interdependencies in the task performance of agencies in order to exploit synergies and ensure that standards are realistic and well coordinated.

The New Citizens Charters for The Land Sector Agencies and The Revenue Agencies are due to be launched by His Excellency The President at the end of October 2007.

For the full documents on the New Vision for Service delivery click on the links below

The land Title Registry

The Lands Commission

The land Valuation Board

Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands

Town and Country Planning

Survey Document

For further information on The New Charter contact

linkexfinancial@yahoo.com

• Email this page
• Printer friendly version