The Head of Service at the Local Government Service has unveiled plans to initiate a comprehensive capacity-building program aimed at establishing effective client service units within the local government system.

Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, while addressing some of the challenges currently impacting the service, emphasized that this initiative is a collaborative effort with the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, aimed at addressing these challenges and enhancing overall service delivery.

Dr. Ato Arthur highlighted a range of persistent challenges, including the presence of untrained human resources, inadequate staff designations, subpar office logistics, and a lack of clearly defined professional procedures and reporting relationships.

He noted that special training for designated staff had been introduced in 2018, with an associated performance contract indicator to measure its implementation.

However, these challenges persist, necessitating a more comprehensive approach.

To address these issues, the Office of the Local Government Service, in partnership with the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, has worked on developing systems and structures and standardizing procedures.

The next step in their plan involves conducting capacity-building activities to establish fully functional client service units within the local government service.

Speaking at a two-day management workshop focused on the newly developed L-G-S Client Service, Dr Ato Arthur stressed the crucial role of the local government service in providing public services to the people of Ghana and ensuring that client satisfaction is met.

He stated, "Public administration engages with clients, citizens, enterprises, and others who seek to handle their affairs and afford staff the opportunity to fulfil their duties.

"The issue at stake is whether we are meeting the needs of our clients in terms of time frame, standards, and overall quality of our services."

Dr Ato Arthur also recognised the evolving nature of local government and the changing needs of clients, highlighting the importance of establishing a professional-client service that can efficiently handle public requests and grievances.

The two-day workshop has been organized to equip participants with the necessary client management skills that will ultimately improve service delivery within the local government service.