Mr Timothy Dotsey, an Administrator at the Ho Technical University and Research Consultant, in the Volta Region, has urged government to rebrand the public sector by promoting good citizenship behaviour, to enhance quality service delivery.
He said the most effective way to achieve greater goals for developing the nations was through promoting Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB), among public servants.
Mr Dotsey who disclosed this to Ghana News Agency in an interview said the public sector in Ghana had been plagued by perceptions of inefficiency, corruption, bureaucracy, and indifference for decades, and these challenges had negatively impacted the quality of service delivery, which led to the loss of public confidence in government institutions.
He said the efforts to rebrand the public sector was focused on superficial changes such as new political slogans and policy announcements, however, the changes have not been effective in shifting the deeper culture of service delivery.
“Organisational citizenship behaviour refers to voluntary, extra-role actions by employees that contribute positively to the organisation’s functioning, and that is what Ghana need now,” he said.
He explained that in the context of the public sector, organisational citizenship behaviour which include going the extra mile to serve citizens, being punctual and respectful, taking initiative to solve problems, and working collaboratively to improve service outcomes for the improvement and development of the nation.
Mr Dotsey stated that fostering OCB among public servants could dramatically improve how the public experienced government institutions, which would enable enhance the quality of service delivery and improve public confidence in state institutions.
“One key milestone in Ghana’s public service reform agenda was the introduction of a Code of Conduct for Public Sector Workers by President John Dramani Mahama, which emphasises on ethical behavior, accountability, integrity, and a commitment to public interest.”
He said the potential impact of the Code of Conduct was limited by gaps in the enforcement, monitoring, and the absence of a supportive institutional culture that rewarded good behaviour.
Mr Dotsey advised that to foster proper organisational citizenship behaviour, several conditions such demonstration of commitment to public service and promoting a culture of accountability and integrity should be exhibited by stakeholders, heads of institutions and leaders to help in various critical role to inculcate discipline in public servants and set the tone and model the behavior they expect from their employees.
He said rebranding the public sector to enhance quality service delivery require a fundamental shift in the culture of service delivery, and promoting organisational citizenship behaviour among public servants would help government to create a more service-oriented culture that could benefit and improves public confidence in government institutions.
Mr Dotsey appealed to the government to prioritise the promotion of organisational citizenship behavior among public servant through supportive culture, investing in training and development and engaging with citizens frequently to identity necessary challenges and proposed solutions.
He said that the government could also attract investment, promote economic growth, and improve the overall business environment through quality-of-service delivery, among other things.