By Prisca Promise Mashushu:
The State Vice President Justice Jane Ansah has said the Public Sector Reforms are currently under scrutiny to best map the way forward on government duties.
Ansah made the remarks at Capital Hill in Lilongwe on Friday during an engagement with human resource personnel from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to review the reforms and assess their successes and challenges.
The Vice President said it is paramount for public institutions to fulfil the duties assigned to them by State President Arthur Mutharika with commitment to quality and effective service delivery. She emphasized that it is essential to assess what has been accomplished, identify what remains to be done, and map the way forward before launching new operations on the ground.
“There are some MDA’s that have performed their duties well, but still more, some have failed to fulfil their duties which will require a lot of work and action to deliver exceptional service to the people of country.
“We want to ensure that there are relevant appointments in all the MDA’s to avoid wasting resources on unnecessary positions hence there is need to review various public sector reforms,” she explained.
She also noted various challenges that the public reform sector is facing which includes delay in law amendments, financial challenges, and human resource management.
Charles Kalemba, Secretary in the Office of the Vice President, said the meeting was meant to brief the Vice President on the progress and scope of public sector reforms. He noted that most MDAs have signed the reform agreements and have made notable progress in achieving certain goals, despite facing various challenges.
“Some of the achievements under the public sector reforms include the establishment of ports in various districts such as Mangochi, Chikwawa, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. In road traffic services, significant improvements have been made, while the Immigration Department is transitioning towards electronic payments and online processing of passports and visas, eliminating the need for physical presence.
“We have also disclosed the introduction of bottled water by Lilongwe Water Board, paying of wards in some government hospitals as one way of revenue collection which can be used for other government services,” he said.
Kalemba, however, noted several challenges affecting various MDAs, including delays in the human resources sector caused by overspending, issues of food security, fuel shortages, limited foreign exchange, and delays in amending key laws. He added that swift actions will be taken immediately, as directed by the Vice President.
The scrutiny of public sector reforms marks the beginning of a new era since the Vice President was sworn in.
