Reform of Civil Service & Presidential Office Acts should be fast-tracked - Oppong Nkrumah

Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called for the expedited reform of the Civil Service Act and the Presidential Office Act to bolster the efficiency of government operations.

In a public lecture titled "A Legal Framework for Communicating Governance" held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, Minister Oppong Nkrumah emphasized the need for these reforms to streamline government communication and improve clarity in conveying governance principles.

“The parts of the legal framework where there is clarity have a higher chance in participating in Agenda Setting. Parts of the framework that lack clarity have a more difficult task to sustainably participate in agenda setting,” he said.

He stressed the significance of agenda-setting in governance communication and highlighted the challenges posed by certain ambiguities within the current legal framework.

The Minister further explained that these ambiguities often lead to misunderstandings in communicating governance, emphasizing the urgency of amending these legal sections. He also pointed out that the lack of clarity in defining the mandates and roles of various government entities, including Ministries and communication responsibilities, has hindered coordination and agenda setting.

To address these challenges, the Minister said the Office of the Counsel to the President has initiated efforts to review specific sections of both the Presidential Office Act and the Civil Service Act. The objective of this review is to inject much-needed clarity and momentum into various government components, particularly in the realm of communication. Minister Oppong Nkrumah's call for swift action on these reforms reflects the government's commitment to improving governance communication efficiency and effectiveness.

“Having noticed this, the Office of the Counsel to the President has commenced efforts to review parts of the Presidential Office Act and the Civil Service Act to bring more clarity and impetus for the purposes of smother functioning of the various parts of Government including communications,” he added.