Govt Says Public Has Right to Good Services

Commonwealth News and Information Service (London)

11 May 2011

press release

Zambians have a right to good services, and indiscipline and poor performance, which undermine government performance, will not be tolerated, secretary to the cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja said.

Dr Kanganja spoke at a Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) forum for 30 permanent secretaries and directors on performance management and leadership in Zambia’s Lake Kariba resort of Siavonga this week. The programme runs 9-14 May 2011.

The programme also covered developmental leadership and coaching, effective management, motivation, communication and development, change and conflict, and building and maintenance of high performance teams.

“Civil servants should focus more on effective delivery of services rather than the challenges they face at the workplace. Tax payers have a right to good services from government,” Dr Kanganja said.

“Government cannot tolerate non-performers and indiscipline in the service particularly under the prevailing economic climate where we are expected to provide more services with fewer resources.”

Zambian officials welcomed the programme, saying people management remained a critical but often neglected area.

“This programme should be made mandatory for all managers. The skills and knowledge gained will go a long way in helping me get the best out of my staff,” said Lucy Mungoma, Permanent Secretary in Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Chanda Chishimba, Director Human Resources and Administration in the Information Ministry, agreed: “It is ironical that people are the most important organisational asset, yet managers don’t undergo training that would enable them to manage people more effectively for optimal performance. This programme fills this gap superbly hence its importance.”

A Commonwealth Secretariat official said low performance and productivity were in part caused by poor leadership and weak management skills in the public service.

“This is compounded by lack of strong human resource management polices and strategies, especially those relating to performance management and measurement, and thus undermines the entrenchment of a conducive performance culture. At the Secretariat, we are committed to assisting member countries bridge this gap,” said Dunstan Maina, Adviser for East Africa in the Secretariat’s Governance and Institutional Development Division.

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