The Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan, has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the region to normalize giving rewards in order to motivate and encourage great performances in their municipalities.

At the 2024 performance contract signing ceremony of MMDCEs and their respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Co-ordinating Directors (MMDCDs), the Regional Minister highlighted the need for a reward system.

“For performance contracting to be effective, we need to institutionalize the system of rewards and sanctions to create a robust performance culture in our jurisdictions. I, therefore, urge you to painstakingly review and contextualize the indicators and come out with guidelines for rewards and sanctions this year. Let us acknowledge hard work, creativity and collaboration, and reinforce the positive behaviours and outcomes that we want to see in our staff and not fail to sanction where and when appropriate,” she said.

She also urged MMDCEs and MMDCDs to ensure the effective and efficient execution of the 2024 performance contract and highlighted the significance of working together.

“Although MMDAs performed poorly in 2022 according to the 2022 performance contract, and the verification and monitoring exercise carried out by the OHLGS, I am of the hope that current MMDCEs and their MMDAs will align their strategic plans to implement the 2024 performance contract and be effective facilitators and catalyst of development service delivery in the Central region. Let us learn from our failures by being open to feedback, have a willingness to improve, and be resilient in the face of challenges.

"We shall by this create a positive organizational culture of considering our mistakes as opportunities to grow. I urge you to strive to adopt best practices and put in place systems and structures that contribute positively to the deepening of local governance in your respective jurisdictions,” she stated.

She then advised MMDCEs and MMMDCDs to ensure a peaceful environment in their various communities before, during and after the 2024 presidential and parliamentary election, and added that the Central Regional Co-ordinating Council is available to provide technical support for the effective and efficient implementation of this year’s performance contract.

Chief Director at the Regional Coordinating Council, Mike Owusu Amoako, tasked the assemblies to prioritize sanitation and other things that would inure to the benefit of the various districts they serve.

The Dean of the MMDCEs, Dr. John Agbemenu Nunya, assured that they will judiciously utilize the resources available to implement government policies.