On 28th November, 2016, the Head of Service, Dr Callistus Mahama hosted a team sponsored on a week’s study tour to South Africa as part of the rewards package for the overall best RCC and MMDA in the assessment of the 2015 Performance Management Contracts. Present at the meeting was the Chief Director of the LGSS, Mr. Joseph M. Dasanah.
The overall best RCC, the Central Region, was represented by Mr. Kwame Oppong, the Regional Co-ordinating Director and Mr Moses Nyame, an Assistant Human Resource Manager while Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, the overall best MMDA was represented by Mr. Adam Mohammed Baba. They were accompanied by Mrs Mabel Amoako-Atta, Director of Management and Technical Services and Mrs Eunice Osae, Director of Administration and General Services all of the LGSS.
The team visited Swartland, Stellenbosch and Cape Town Municipalities in addition to some places of interest including a game reserve and a private grape farm and made a number of observations. In Swartland Municipality, the team observed that the Performance Management (PM) system in place is electronic and web- based enabling transparency and accountability. Additionally, staff were not rewarded for outstanding performance since 100% performance is expected and a performance score below 95% attracted punitive measures. In Stellenbosch, the team discovered that there was a designated schedule officer for PM. The observation in the Cape Town Municipality was that, the operating budget was about four times their Capital budget and this was because the municipalities were responsible for services whereas the provinces provide infrastructure. Additionally, the team also observed that the Municipality generates enough resources to cater for its financial needs including compensations for its over 26, 0000 employees. A general observation by the team was that, the Municipals budget is drawn after the National Budget making resources available to the local level more predictable.
The team expressed gratitude to the Head of Service for the opportunity given them. In response Dr Callistus Mahama expressed appreciation to the team for embarking on the trip and urged them to incorporate observed best practices that can be adapted from the South African experience with appropriate recommendations for consideration.