Hold MDAs accountable for standards in Client Service Charters – Minister
Mr Alhassan Azong, Minister of State, Public Sector Reform, Office of the President, on Monday appealed to the citizenry to hold Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) accountable for the standards established in their clients’ service charters.
He said it was through such efforts that the Public Service would rise up to the aspirations of the people.
Mr Azong said this in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of Judicial Service Client Service Unit at the Supreme Court in Accra on Monday.
He urged the judicial service to review its services provided as well as standards by which its performance could be assessed by clients.
DANIDA financed the well resourced unit and the Judicial Service Charter.
Mr Azong, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, said the establishment of a Client Care Unit and development of a charter was now a key performance target for any public institution.
He said it was through these units that stakeholders and the public could understand operations of the services and educate them on the roles and responsibilities of the various sector establishments.
The Sector Minister said Secretariat of the Public Sector Reform was determined to provide the support to such units to ensure quality service delivery.
Mr Azong commended the judicial service for its responsiveness and pro-activeness in establishing the Client Service Unit.
Mr Justice Julius Ansah, a Supreme Court Judge, inaugurating the unit said it was another step in the right direction for the judiciary which had improved on its operations.
He said the concept of establishing the unit dated back to 2007, and that ethos of the unit was to provide a front line desk and information centre for numerous users and patrons of the courts.
Mr Ansah said the principal objective of establishing the unit was to provide and ensure quality service delivery to the public who by necessity sought redress from the justice system.
He appealed to the staff to act professionally by treating the public with respect and dignity.
“This is in conformity with current global practices and international benchmarks which demand that Public Service officials conduct public business professionally to create an acceptable corporate standard in dealing with clients”.
“It is our hope that this unit would assist in enhancing the image of the Judicial Service in Ghana through effective people management, communication and improve service delivery,” he said.
He thanked DANIDA for partnering the Judicial Service over the years in the implementation of its reforms and modernisation programmes.
Mr Alex Nartey, National Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Coordinator, said the rational for establishing the unit was to position MDAs to deliver efficient and cost effective public services that would improve the living conditions of the poor and vulnerable.
He said the citizenry and other nationals should have easy access to information in public institutions.
Source: GNA