The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, has entreated civil servants to comply with financial regulations and confidentiality in discharging their advisory role to political leaders. He said recent developments in certain institutions seem to suggest that some civil servants were either not loyal or in some cases subversive of the integrity of political leaders by needlessly exposing official documents. "This is unfortunate and I wish to entreat you to give good professional advice and ensure compliance with all financial regulations while ensuring confidentiality. In doubtful situations, the Chief Director and the Head of the Internal Audit Unit can be consulted for Advice". The Upper East Regional Minister said this during an interactive meeting with municipal and district coordinating directors, their deputies and some senior civil servants from the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. He said the meeting was not only an opportunity to get to know themselves better but also to share ideas on how they could contribute to achieve the mission of the Regional Coordinating Council. Mr Woyongo said as heads of assemblies and advisors to the municipal and district chief executives, they must cooperate and be dedicated to duty in order to ensure trust and a cordial working relationship with their political heads. He said they could only win the confidence and trust of their municipal and district chief executives, if as co-ordinating directors they did not exhibit their political affiliation but allow their political neutrality to manifest in their deliberations and actions. "In very controversial and partisan issues, your role should provide an opportunity for compromise and cooperation to all parties, and this cannot happen if you are not politically neutral," he stated. He said as head of the region, he had articulated his concern about tapping the potentials of the region to reduce poverty, adding that he had taken every opportunity to invite investors to the region and emphasised the need for peace and security to create the necessary environment for the development of the region. "You will realise that in all these concerns you have a responsibility as coordinating directors working either alone or in collaboration with others to achieve the desired results. I wish, therefore, to charge you to make the assemblies investor friendly so that we derive maximum benefits from this intervention." Mr Woyongo noted that these could not be achieved if collaborators were not encouraged by good reception and support, citing potential investors walking away because of frustration and lack of cooperation by some assemblies. He tasked them to use their professional and leadership skills to facilitate the successful execution of programmes and activities of the assembly, adding that they could not give the right advice if they were not well informed about best practices. He, therefore urged them to constantly update their knowledge in current polices and directives of the government. The Upper East Regional Coordinating Director, for his part, said the meeting was to afford the regional minister an opportunity to spell out the highlights of the government's development agenda for the region. Source: Daily Graphic