The Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) in order to ensure that Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs), and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) of the country perform their functions as envisaged in the 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana, the Local Governance Act 2016, Act 936 and any other laws, instituted the signing of Performance Contract (PC) in the year 2015.

The Contract at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) level is signed between the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) on one hand, and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Co-ordinating Directors (MMDCDs) on the other hand.  The Contract at the Regional Co-ordinating Council level, however, is signed between the Hon. Regional Ministers and the Regional Co-ordinating Directors (RCDs). The Contract stipulates what the MMDCDs and RCDs as the Administrative Heads at the various levels would lead the staff under them to achieve in line with the functions of the Assemblies and the Regional Co-ordinating Councils.

The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council emerged first (1st)   in the maiden assessment of the Contract in the year 2015 whiles the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) placed 8th.

In 2016, although the contracts were signed the assessment could not carried out in 2017 as a result of a change in government. The contract signing and its assessment were suspended from 2017 to 2018 to enable the new Head of Local Government Service consider and review the Key Performance Areas (KPA) as well as the Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

That notwithstanding, in the year 2019, the PC was signed and the Assessment done in 2020. The Assessment was, however, limited to the MMDAs level.   In the year 2021, the Regional Co-ordinating Councils were reconsidered under the Assessment and the VRCC emerged the Best Performing RCC in Ghana. The VRCC maintained its ranking in the 2021 Assessment of the PC.

In order for the VRCC to perform creditably in the PC Assessment, Management of the VRCC in the year 2019 introduced the holding of regular review meetings as part of preparations towards the Assessment of the PC signed. It also, established a 3-Member PC Implementation Committee with the task of Co-ordinating, and leading preparation towards the PC Assessment.

The VRCC as part of the preparation towards the Assessment of the 2022 PC it signed held a review meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at the Conference Room of the Council. The meeting was to enable the VRCC assess the status of implementation of the Contract and its preparedness for the Assessment scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2023.  The Acting Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Augustus Awity chaired the meeting which had the participation of Regional Directors/Heads of Department of the Council including the Regional Head of Department of Human Resource, Regional Director of Department of Feeder Roads, Regional Director of Department of Agriculture, Regional Director of Department of Social Welfare, Regional Director of Department of Gender, and Regional Director of Community Development.

Also present were the Regional Economic Planning Officer, Regional Environmental Health Officer, the Client Service Officer, the Acting Regional Budget Analyst, the ICT Officer and other Senior Members of staff at the Central Administration of the Council.

The Ag. Regional Co-ordinating Director stated the purpose of the meeting indicating that the meeting was to consider and review the fulfillment of the KPAs and KPIs of the VRCC under the PC signed in 2022 in preparedness for the Assessment which would be conducted by the OHLGS.

He, therefore, directed the Head of Human Resource Department of the Council and Co-odinator of the 3-Member PC implementation Committee, Mr. Cyril Dzinyanu Xatse to conduct participant through the KPAs and KPIs and how far they were achieved.

Mr. Cyril Dzinyanu Xatse complied.

The KPAs are as follows:

  1. General Administration
  2. Human Resource Management
  3. Financial Management and Reporting
  4. Services 

The following are the KPIs:

  1. General Administration
  2. At least three (3) Regional Security Council meetings organized per quarter and at least 70% of decisions implemented from previous meeting by the end of the year
  3. At least one (1) expanded RCC meetings (as per LG ACT 936, Section 198 (3) (6) (ISCC) organized by the end of the year.
  4. At least one expanded RPCU meeting (as per LG ACT 936, Section 198 (3) (ISCC) organized by the end of the year.
  5. All incoming and outgoing correspondences stored in a computerized database on daily basis
  6. Website updated monthly with information and activities of the Departments of the RCC
  7. Functional Client Service Unit
  8. A well-managed, safe and secured workplace environment including clean washrooms, office space, office sign post***, general landscaping and general office amenities by the end of the year
  • Human Resource Management
  • Biannual composite promotion schedule with established vacancies for all grade levels and retirement schedules in MMDAs and the RCC prepared and submitted to the OHLGS by end of February & July 2022
  • Prepare and update annual leave management roster for the 2022 calendar year.
  • Comprehensive Regional (RCC & MMDAs) Training Plan prepared and submitted to OHLGS by the end of March 2022
  • At least 80% of RCC Training Plan implemented by the end of the year and quarterly report submitted to the OHLGS by the 2nd week following the quarter 
  • Implementation of the PMS at the MMDA level monitored and a comprehensive report submitted to the OHLGS by the end of July 2022 and January 2023
  • Comprehensive (appraisal cycle) RCC staff appraisal schedule implemented by the end of the year
  • Financial Management and Reporting
  • 2022 Annual Audit Plan prepared and submitted to the Principal Spending Officer (RCD), Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Agency by the 30th of January of the 2022 financial year
  • 100% of recommendations contained in 2021 Auditor General’s Management Letter implemented by the end of the year
  • Fourth Quarter 2021, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Quarters of 2022 Internal Audit Recommendations implemented by the end of the year
  • Approved 2023 budget (Regional Integrated Budget) submitted to the OHLGS  by 31st October, 2022
  • All 2022 GoG expenditure processed through the GIFMIS 
  • Services 
  • Quarterly monitoring reports of Departments of RCCs submitted through the RCC to relevant MDAs and copies to the OHLGS by the end of the first month of the ensuing quarter
  • Quarterly monitoring reports of RPCU submitted to the OHLGS by the end of the first month of the ensuing quarter 
  • Biannual reports on technical backstopping support to MMDAs submitted to the OHLGS
  • Approved 2023 plan (Regional Integrated Plan) prepared in accordance to the L.I 2232 and a copy submitted to the OHLGS  by 31st October, 2022

The meeting realised that the Council had delivered on all the KPIs. It was also realised that the KPIs were achieved albeit some challenges among which were the following:

  1. Reluctance on the part of some Departments to provide timely information as requested.
  2. Lack of or delay in the release of funds.
  3. Accessibility to key officers by some clients without passing through the Client Service Unit.

The challenges were discussed and the Acting Regional Co-ordinating Director assured that the necessary actions would be taken.

The participants came to the conclusion that the Council was on course to maintaining its ranking for the 3rd consecutive year.

The meeting was also used to create the opportunity for the Right to Information Officer, Ms. Josephine Dake-Abrahams, posted to the Council to introduce herself to the Heads of Department and the other senior staff of the Council.

In his closing remark, the Acting Regional Co-ordinating Director on behalf of the Hon. Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa commended the Heads of Department and Unit for their dedication and hard-work.

He however advised that officers be meticulous in their choice of words when communicating in order not to court disaffection for the Council.

He finally advised that any request for information by an outsider (client) be put into writing and submitted to the appropriate officer(s).