Nat’l Tymes News Desk
VICE PRESIDENT Prof. Jean Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called on public institutions to put citizens at the heart of governance and service delivery, stressing that every government agency must focus on serving the people efficiently, fairly and transparently.
She made the call in Accra when she launched a new book co-authored by the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah, and renowned marketing and public sector governance expert, Prof. Robert Ebo Hinson. The Vice President, who was the Special Guest of Honour, described the publication as a timely contribution to Ghana’s efforts to build responsive and people-centred public institutions.
The book challenges public institutions to view their services through the eyes of the ordinary citizen and to carry out honest self-assessments to identify gaps in service delivery. It argues that meaningful public sector reforms can only succeed when institutions prioritise the needs and experiences of the people they serve.
According to the authors, every institution should regularly ask four critical questions about the services it provides: Are they accessible? Are they clear? Are they fair? And where are they falling short? They maintain that answering these questions truthfully is the first step towards delivering better services.
The publication further urges public institutions to focus on improving services that directly affect the lives of many Ghanaians, including passport acquisition, business registration, licensing, and other high-demand public services.
One of the book’s central messages is that government agencies must continually examine whether their systems are designed for the convenience of public officials or for the benefit of the citizens they are mandated to serve.
The authors argue that placing citizens at the centre of public administration will strengthen trust in state institutions, improve accountability, and enhance the quality of governance across the country.
The launch brought together senior government officials, academics, development partners, public sector leaders and other distinguished guests, who praised the publication as an important guide for driving reforms in Ghana’s public service.
The book is expected to serve as a practical reference for policymakers, public servants, researchers and institutional leaders seeking innovative ways to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability while delivering better services to Ghanaians.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
