The Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) has directed Regional Coordinating Directors to stop promoting officers without a Masters Degree to the position of Deputy Director.

Acting Chief Director, James Oppong-Mensah, in a notice to staff of the Service issued on Tuesday, January 21, described the practice where officers on Assistant Director (I) are promoted to Deputy Director and analogous grade without taking their Masters Certificates into consideration as an anomaly which should cease.

“As part of the qualification and experience; the Scheme of Service clearly states that employees of Local Government Service on the grade of Assistant Director I and the analogous grades shall have a Masters Degree before they can progress to the next level of promotion,” the notice sighted by Myjoyonline.com read in part.

The notice further called for the support of all Regional Coordinating Councils, Regional Ministers and Chief Directors to comply with the directive.

The Local Government Service is an institution established by the Local Government Service Act, 2003 (Act 656) but currently replaced with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).

The Service exists to secure effective administration and management of the decentralised local government system in the country.