We must think outside the box for solutions to the many problems facing the citizenry, the Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has said.
He said the worsening unemployment situation in the country posed a security threat and, therefore, stressed that any public sector reform must consider "outside the box" strategies to resolve the challenges.
Mr Osafo-Maafo was speaking at a national stakeholder dialogue series in Cape Coast in the Central Region yesterday. The three-day meeting which was on the theme: "Taking stock and identifying emerging issues to shape Ghana's new public sector reform strategy, 2025-2030," formed phase one of the series.
Participants will take stock of progress made from the last strategy, identify the bottlenecks that impeded its achievements and provide suggestions for a new strategy.
Mr Osafo-Maafo also called for practical steps to enhance the agricultural sector by implementing strategies that would make it attractive and profitable for the youth. He said that there must be a change in direction in the over-reliance of certain commodities, while encouraging the cultivation of vegetables and flowers, and the creation of land banks.
Tackling unemployment
On unemployment, Mr Osafo-Maafo called for a stronger public-private sector interface to promote jobs and growth in the economy. He said it was obvious that various strategies towards reforms in the public sector by successive governments had not achieved the needed results, particularly in leveraging the potential of the private sector to create jobs through efficient service delivery.
Mr Osafo-Maafo said this might be because such reforms had not been able to align with key sectors of the economy. "Successive governments have, over the years, undertaken reforms to improve public sector performance.
These reforms have provided an opportunity for the assessment of the relevance of the ideas, visions and commitments needed to leverage the public sector as a catalyst for growth and development.
"However, modest reforms in the public sector have not led to improvement in job creation and wealth maximisation,” he said. The Senior Presidential Advisor also urged residents to be active participants in local governance in their respective communities.
Commitment
The Head of Civil Service, Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, said his outfit was committed to institutionalising reforms as a conscious effort to improving quality of service. He said the service was also strengthening its regulatory frameworks, including the modernisation and improvement of working conditions to promote quality and efficiency.
For his part, the Head of Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, said the service was working on a rewards and sanctions system to enhance quality service delivery at the local government level.
Source: graphic.com.gh
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
To Osofo Marfo, thinking outside the box is collaborating with Akufo Addo and the mafias from akyem to grab everything belonging to Ghana that they can reach. To him, thinking outside the box is bringing a dormant krill associates from the UK to loot us. To him, thinking outside the box is use ways and means to repatriate their foreign accomplices like Aisha huan when they should be facing legal punishment for the crimes they committed against Ghana. For him, thinking outside the box is conniving with Akufo Addo to dismiss SNITT boss for no reason so that his son took can become the SNITT boss. For him, thinking outside the box is all about the selfish gains of himself and his akyem mafias.
Osafo Marfo, you are one of the oldest appointee in terms of age in the Akuffo Addo government . You were a minister for finance in the Kufuor regime i e 2001-2008. So you are one of the most, if not the most experienced in the current regime. Question then is, what advice have been giving to Akuffo Addo from 2017 to date and yet still Ghana is not seeing top, its like the country is moving backwards. For you to be talking of thinking outside the box now after having all the opportunities from 2017 to date to have thought outside the box is mind boggling. Tell just us one (1) thing which you have thought outside the box which has led to a near perfection of a particular sector in Ghana. Be it in education, health, roads, agriculture, potable water and sanitation, communication, electricity , fuel, law enforcement, galamsey, hmmmnnn. Politics in Ghana is like convincing the people to vote for you. Once you win power , also grab your share and go. If you (so called politicians) were thinking outside the box, the road from Accra -Kumasi will not still be single lane 67 years after independence, the people of Tamale will not be competing with animals for potable water 67 years after independence, Ghana will not be importing tomatoes from arid land Burkina Faso 67 years after independence. I can keep counting. Its sad. The major challenge facing Ghana is ; Those who have ideas have no power, those with power have no idea at all.
YOU AND WHO?AFTER LOOTHING THE COUNTRY YOU AND WHO SHOULD FIX IT