Public Sector Reform inaugurates jury on Excellence Awards

Accra, May 23, GNA - The Minister of Public Sector Reform, Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom on Tuesday inaugurated a seven-member jury with the task to determine winners of the President's Excellence Awards for the Public Service slated for July 2006.

Members of the jury are: Mr Annan Cato, a Retired Diplomat; Prof R. A. Atsu Aryee, Lecturer, University of Ghana; Mr E. A. Sai, a Retired Top Public Servant; Mr Frank Ocran, Chief Executive of the State Enterprises Commission; Mr David Agbenu, Ghana Journalists Association; Togbe Adom Drayi II, Trades Union Congress; and Mr R. A. K. Nketsiah, Association of Ghana Industries.

The jury would look at proposals submitted by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the stated criteria to determine the winners.

Winners of the President=92s Award would automatically be entered into the Africa Innovation Award Scheme for Africa Public Service. Successful organizations at the Africa Awards would then participate in the United Nations Public Service Award.

Dr Nduom said the award was meant to recognize excellence, innovation and to let the public service understand that Government was interested in their work and would reward institutions that distinguished themselves.

"We are not just asking people to work but also to encourage them," he said.

He said recent events in some areas of the public sector such as the Police and transport business were clear indications that all sectors of the public service required reforms to ensure the delivery of better services.

Dr Nduom said although the plight of workers was of great concern to the Government, an ad-hoc solution to the situation would not end the unrest as what was needed was a lasting solution.

The Minister urged the members of the jury to bring their experiences to bear on the process of selecting deserving institutions for awards, saying 93we need credibility in the exercise so that the institution would attest that everything was transparent=94. Mr Nduom called on public sector institutions to submit their proposals for review and said so far eight nominations had been received and the bid was still opened.

Prof. Sai, who spoke on behalf of the jury, acknowledged that it was an arduous task choosing the most deserving public institution for recognition but gave the assurance that credibility would be the epitome of their work to ensure that the right organisation was rewarded. He said the award was in the right direction as it was a sign of promoting competition, competence and excellence since the general judgement was that the public service was doing badly, adding that the award would show that some were making prime strides.