By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Feb. 07, GNA – Twenty-two Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Central Region have signed performance contracts for accelerated development.
The pact, instituted by the Local Government Service, is hinged on improving the performance of MMDAs to boost productivity in line with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).
The annual performance challenge seeks to evaluate the performances of MMDAs in the Region and to set new targets that reflect the government’s priorities in the performance of its core service deliverables.
It serves as a road map, providing a clear direction for their efforts and outlining objectives, targets, and strategies to improve the lives of people and ensure sustainable development.
Per the agreement, the Regional Ministers and their coordinating directors are required to ensure local revenue generation, education, infrastructure development, social protection, and institutional capacity development.
Key indicators among the deliverables are holding statutory meetings, submitting reports, and improving revenue.
The signup marked the end of 2023 and the formal inception of the 2024 Performance Contracts.
Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Regional Minister, signed on her own behalf, and as the Acting District Chief Executive for the Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira and Awutu Senya whose DCE were indisposed and had been sacked, respectively.
Mr Michael Owusu Amoako, the Regional Coordinating Director, signed for himself whereas the MMDCE’s Coordinating Directors signed on behalf of the Assemblies.
Mrs Assan asked the MMDCEs to ensure that the deeds of the contract were in alignment with the strategic plan of all decentralised departments to leverage effective service delivery at the local level.
She charged them to institutionalise effective reward systems and sanctions to create a robust performance culture to accelerate development across sectors.
“The MMDAs must painstakingly review and contextualise the indicators in the contract and come out with guidelines for rewards and sanctions this year.
“Let us acknowledge hard work, creativity and collaboration that reinforce positive behaviour outcomes that we want to see in our staff and not fail to sanction where, and when appropriate, Mrs. Assan stated.
She was unhappy that the 2022 performance contract by the MMDAs in the Region, charged them to learn from their failures by instituting feedback mechanisms, willing to improve the organisational culture of considering mistakes as opportunities to grow.
“The report of the 2022 Monitoring and Verification exercise, carried out by the Office of the Local Government Service revealed that most MMDAs did not understand the Key Performance Areas.
Equally, she reminded them to work towards peace and peaceful co-existence to ensure peace and harmony reigned in their jurisdiction before, during, and after the December 7, 2024, election.
For that matter, they must inculcate positive engagement with all stakeholders, motivate staff and engender teamwork and effective service delivery.
The Regional Coordinating Director and Dr Nunya John of Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, the Dean of the Coordinating Directors pledged commitment to collaborate to achieve the tenets of the contract.
GNA