GIMPA– Tuesday 19th- Thursday 21st March 2024: The Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Administration (GIMPA) in agreement with the University of Birmingham (UoB) has organized a 3 – Day workshop for local government practitioners. The workshop was organized to undertake research and jointly develop training programmes to enhance the capacity of public service practitioners, especially within the Local Government Service.
The Local Government Service (LGS) has been selected for the pilot programme hence the workshop. The workshop brought together senior officers in the LGS to explore the skill sets and flexibility requirements that should inform the training of public managers.
The training programme was designed to equip the participants to understand the roles of the managers in a workforce development, the scope and purpose of development activities. It also aimed to provide avenues to explore innovative approaches for delivering workforce development and how well-chosen learning and development activities can contribute to a talent management strategy.
The training was made up of stimulus sessions, group discussions and presentation. The facilitator of the training programme is an Assistant Professor in Public Policy and Management of the Department of Public Administration and Policy, University of Birmingham, Shailen Popat.
The panelists included the Head of Local Government Service, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Development Studies, UCC, and Council Chair (LGS), Dr. David Wellington Essaw, a Local Government Consultant, Dr. Charles Bamfo, the Dean, GIMPA School of Public Service and Governance, Dr Patrick Tandoh-Offin, Lecturer, GIMPA School of Public Service and Governance, Prof Kingsley S. Agomor, and Gina Teddy, HOD, Department of Public Management & International Relations, GIMPA.
The above-named persons are all experts in Local Governance and from academia. They took turns to review the presentations and provided insight on areas to be adopted in creating the CPD module. These included adapting to change, being innovative by taking advantage of current technological trends to improve professional development as well as becoming more people centred and understanding of systems and processes amongst others.
The programme was held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).