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The Local Government Service is restructuring its client service system to promote efficiency at the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).
To this end, it has developed a client service operational manual to guide officers in their dealings with clients.
At a training workshop for staff of MMDAs on the manual at Elmina in the Central Region yesterday, the Head of LGS, Dr Stephen Nana Ato Arthur, said the production of the manual had become necessary to ensure enhanced client service provision.
The workshop is being attended by 90 district chief executives and management staff of some MMDAs in the Central and Western regions under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme.
Dr Arthur said local governance was evolving and that citizens had become more discerning and were demanding accountability from duty bearers.
"Citizens want to know why streetlights are not working, where and how to access building permits and where to pay property rates, among other concerns.
“A functional client service can be an enabler in our quest to improve revenue generation," he added.
Dr Arthur also said that the level of satisfaction of services rendered mostly reflected in complaints, enquiries and feedback received.
"A client service system serves as an interface between the LGS and those who transact business with us.
A functional client service system ensures transparency and accountability.
“It helps to protect our reputation with the client and citizens in general and also identifies positive organisational changes to improve service delivery," he said.
Dr Arthur further observed that challenges such as untrained human resource, ad hoc designation of staff, poor office logistics and lack of clearly laid out operational procedures and reporting relationships still persisted and were affecting service delivery.
"The situation where client service is manned by IGF staff, staff from national service, NABCO, receptionists, administrative and executive classes depending on who is available does not encourage professionalism, motivation and maximum output,” he added.
A facilitator, Baah Tetteh, urged the participants to be interested in what services were being offered to clients and ensure that there were no delays while demanding from officers in charge to give of their best.
