The Local Government Service Secretariat (LGSS) has organized a familiarization tour for the National Service Personnel who served at the Secretariat during the 2014/2015 service period. The tour which was part of the farewell package for the personnel took them to a number of Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country. The personnel were made up of three (3) men and four (4) ladies totaling seven (7).
The purpose of the tour was to afford the service personnel the opportunity to know different parts of the country and also appreciate the potentials of the country outside the national capital. Furthermore, the tour was to prepare them to appreciate unity in diversity and also psychologically be ready to stay and work in any part of the country when there is an opportunity.
The tour took them to four regions namely, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West and Greater Accra. In each of the above regions, the personnel visited the RCCs and some selected MMDAs. Again, the tour provided them with rare opportunity to interact with the staff of MMDAs, learn at first-hand what they do and where some of the reports/letters they handle at the Secretariat come from.
The tour started in Ashanti region, where the service personnel first went to the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARCC) in Kumasi and then paid a courtesy call on the Regional Minister, Honourable Mr. Peter Anarfi-Mensah. The Minister had warm interactions with them. From Kumasi, they continued to the Bekwai and Obuasi Municipal Assemblies respectively. There too, they interacted with the Honourable Chief Executives namely, Madam Mary Juantoah and Mr. Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi.
From the Ashanti region, they travelled to the Northern region. The personnel’sfirst port of call in the region was a visit to the Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council (NRCC) in Tamale where they were received by the Chief Director, Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku. The Chief Director briefed them on the economic potentials of the region. Still in the Northern region, the personnel also visited the Central Gonja District Assembly in Buipe where they had a short interaction with the District Planning Officer.
The next regional capital they visited was Wa in the Upper West Region. At the Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Council (UWRCC) the service personnel were received by the Chief Director, Mr. J.B. Atogiba, who subsequently, led them to pay a courtesy call on the Honourable Deputy Regional Minister Dr. Musheibu Mohammed. The Deputy Minister warmly interacted with them. After that the personnel continued to Nadowli-Kaleo and Lawra District Assemblies, where they received a rousing welcome from the staff. The last but not the least was in the Greater Accra Region where, the service personnel again had a feel of what goes on in the Ga West Municipal Assembly in Amasaman and Shai-Osudoku District Assembly at Dodowa to wind up the tour. In all the regions, the personnel also visited different tourist sites.
In assessing the tour almost all the service personnel had different but interesting stories to tell. Essentially, all the stories ended with expression of sense of appreciation and gratitude to the Head of Service for the unique opportunity. A lady participant said it all that “l was born in Accra, schooled in Accra and also did my National Service in Accra. To this end, the tour offered me the long awaited opportunity to step my feet in Kumasi and other regional capitals for the first time in my life and this explains my unfathomable joy and also the value I attach to the tour. To sum up, l am indeed grateful”.
The parting ceremony finally ended on the 24th August, 2015, where the service personnel did both group and individual presentations. Each of the personnel gave his or her experience and offered suggestions to improve the mandate of the Service.
Addressing the personnel the Head of Service, Dr. Callistus Mahama noted with satisfaction the diligence they attached to the discharge of their duties and encouraged them to continue with that good behaviour in any organisation that would need their services.
Again, Dr. Callistus Mahama was grateful for the in-depth feedback provided on the various schedules assigned to them. He assured them that some the suggestions would guide the operations of the Service in our dealings with the general public and the next batch of service personnel in particular.
In conclusion, the Head of Service, on behalf of the Secretariat thanked the service personnel for their invaluable services rendered.