Honourable Baboucarr Bouy led his technical team to discuss the Ministry of Public Service’s key reform agenda at the Presidential Delivery Forum.
The Ministry reported that with support from the World Bank, is spearheading a Public Administration Modernization Project – PAMP, which aims to improve fiscal and human resource management capacity for improved service delivery.
The said project will contribute to:
✓ Strengthen the management of public revenue expenditures and audit reports of government to improve accountability and decision-making.
✓ Strengthen public administration.
✓ Improve transparency and citizen engagement in service delivery.
The Director of the Ministry, Mr Sheriff Jallow reported that the Ministry has introduced pay reform, pay and grading review, pension reform, and recycling of loan schemes among others to successfully attract, retain and motivate technical and professional personnel into the civil service. It was also reported that a new directorate has been established due to the new Public Service Pension Act, enacted in 2022.
Key among the reform initiatives in the Public Service is enhancing discipline, ethical conduct and high performance of civil servants. The team reported that electronic clocks have been installed in 20 Ministries and a further 100 procured to be installed in MDAs. This will instil discipline to promote good governance, transparency and accountability among civil servants and improve the image of the civil service in time management.
During the session, President Barrow acknowledged the Ministry’s effort and suggested that the Ministry set up a monitoring team to add to the professional guidance to ensure Ministries and civil servants become more productive.
Mr Jallow reported that the Ministry has developed recruitment guidelines that outline the processes, best practices and strategies for recruiting and selecting candidates for a job to re-institutionalise meritocracy, due process and professionalism in personnel administration. He added the Ministry is strategically reviewing the General Orders, the Public Service Act 1991, development and review of policies, among other reviews.
Honourable Bouy said the reforms are meant to improve service delivery of and welfare of civil servants, “what matters to us is the quality of service we are delivering.” He added.
President Barrow applauded the Minister and his team for their tremendous achievement, noting that the idea to transform the Public Management Office into a Ministry was indeed a commendable action.
The Barrow administration saw the need to restore Public Service core values and create behavioural change, hence the Government of The Gambia established the Ministry of Public Service aimed at providing efficient and effective civil service.
