Mr Peter Nortsu-Kortoe, Member of Parliament for Akatsi-North, has expressed despair about the future of the country’s Civil Service.
He said since the Service was not attracting the right calibre of human resource, its future was bleak.
Mr Nortsu-Kortoe was addressing an award ceremony to honour students in the Ho Municipality who excelled in the 2014-15 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
Mr Nortsu-Kortoe, who is also a Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, said some reports from the Service worked on by the Committee indicated lowering competence levels of the Civil Service.
He said issues of students bordering on leaked examination questions was a contributory factor, and called for a concerted effort to arrest the situation.
He suggested that institutions did not engage employees based on only academic qualifications, but the ability to communicate.
Mr Benjamin Kpodo, Member of Parliament for Ho Central, who instituted the award scheme, explained that the initiative was to help improve education in the Municipality.
He said the five-year project was expected to help re-position the Municipality as a force to reckon with in academic performance.
Mr Alex Mawusi Boadu, Acting Regional Director of Education commended Mr Kpodo for supporting the idea of using the “carrot to motivate students and not the whip.”
Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, also commended Mr Kpodo for the foresight, and pledged to support subsequent awards.
Twenty-six students were awarded, with Ms Jewel Ansah-Antwi Afriyie, emerging as the over-all Best Student in the Municipality.
She took GH¢600.00, a certificate, a set of books and a laptop.
Other winners were given GH¢400.00, certificates, and set of books.