Officers to sign performance contract

Page 24: Daily Graphic, April 23, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
OFFICERS at the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Prisons Service are to be included in the signing of performance contracts as part of efforts to inject professionalism and competence into the running of those agencies.
The Interior Minister, Mr Cletus Avoka, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that following initial stakeholder consultations on the issue with national, regional, divisional and district officers, it was decided that the contract for the officer corps of the Ghana Police Service should be extended to other security agencies under the ministry.
The Daily Graphic, in its February 27, 2009 issue, published the idea by the Interior Minister when he addressed heads of security agencies in Tamale on February 25, 2009 during a fact-finding tour of the area following clashes between supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He did not indicate when the contracts were to be introduced but hinted that he had asked the directors at the ministry to begin working out the details, saying that they would be introduced as soon as they were ready.
He was of the view that when that was done, officers who were found to be non-performing would be replaced after an annual assessment of their work.
He said the ministry had been having consultations with stakeholders on the issue and it was during one such consultations that it was suggested that the other agencies be brought on board.
Mr Avoka said it was also suggested that the issue be comprehensively dealt with together with the governing councils of the affected institutions.
He said apart from the Police Council, which was announced last week and was yet to be inaugurated, the other councils were yet to be announced.
The Interior Minister gave the assurance that the deliberations would move into full gear when those councils were fully constituted and began work.
Mr Avoka said one thing that emerged from the tour and his interactions with the people was that there were a lot of question marks on the work of the security personnel.
He noted that if the people lost confidence in the security services due to inaction and partisanship, “then the country is doomed because the people will take the law into their own hands”.
He explained that it was to ensure professionalism and neutrality in the work of the security personnel that the performance contract issue would be pursued to its fullest conclusion.