By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
On Tuesday, August 13th 2024, the Public Service Commission (PAC) of Sierra Leone, has hosted a Stakeholders’ Consultative session on Draft Public Service Policy at the Foreign Service Academy, Tower Hill in Freetown.
The purpose of the meeting was to gather insight and feedbacks from key stakeholders on the draft policies across the public service. According to the draft document, “the general intent is to make proposal to ensure the PSC shall be the pre-eminent body responsible for human policy development, and discharging regulatory and oversight role in the management of the public service.”
The goal of the public service policy is intended to be beginning of a process for establishment of a legal framework for management of the service and to provide policy guidance that will serve as the basis for the development of a draft public service bill for the enactment by parliament, ” the media unit said.
Speaking during the session, Ansu S. Tucker Director General, Human resources Management Office (HRMO), said collaboration of stakeholders is key due to the imagine issues, adding the biggest change over the years are human capital and professionalism and that gender mainstreaming is a key mandate to promoting and recruiting manpower.
But employing and posting civil servants faces dismal challenges especially considering the professional misconduct, and this area needs support promising that PSC will work together with other sectors at all times.
John Sumailah, Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Civil Service said PSC policies are concerned about the principles that form as backbone in nation building, noting that capacity building must be around citizens involvement though disability issues on job creation, and digitization and access to information which are all significant in guiding policies that have to do with public health, mental health, intergovernmental collaboration, involvement with the aid of civil society and media in terms of public education.
In his statement, Secretary to the President Bio, Dr. Emmunal Gaima, deliberated that strong polices are foundation of good government policies, and they must be visible and evidence base, adding they are in full support of the drive.
He said amid the trying times government and donor partners are working tearlessly to improve standards in teams of job creation. Good policies must be realized and strategies must be perceptible with positive consultation and the state must be included at all levels in the planning and implementation process, in ensuring decent policies response to the needs of citizens and performance in administrative systems. The expectation of credible policies should be actually owned by citizens.
According to the European Union rep, First Counsellor, Team Leader, Holger Rommen, says government promises should be reflective on the people , and EU support to government is crucial, citing that women in the civil service must achieve their goals with high focus.
Legislative committee in Parliament should be clear on making strong policies and laying a foundation on national leadership while allowing citizens to own those policies.
Melrose Karminty, Minister of Social Welfare, said inclusive policies played a vital role to economy progress, mentioning that equity, fairness, transparency, accountability should be evidence- based. “Stakeholder’s engagement is important in promoting innovative technology through social needs and perspective inclusivity, “she said.
” Besides, stakeholder’s dialogue and working on common goal would create more experience documents going forward.”
Delivering the keynote, Chairman Public Service Commission, Mr. Kalilu Omara Bah said gender mainstreaming is vital in order to attract gender expertise though imagining issues dynamic, and that PSC’s objective is to respond to the complex concerns in the area of recruitment despite the inconsistencies within the HR management leadership role.
And that standards in Ministries Department Agencies (MDAS) should be provided swift policies to be accessible by many due to today’s digitation era.
“This is a great landmark, PSC is the backbone to government, its mandate is to reform, make assessment of HRMO.”
“Government reaps must cooperate and work in the interest of the country despite the current economic challenges in the country.”