Civil Service Head Calls for Urgent Public Sector Reforms

The Head of Civil Service, Dr. Evans Aggrey Darko, has called for urgent reforms in the public sector to address inefficiencies that hinder national progress. Speaking at the dissemination event for Ghana’s Business Ready 2024 Report, hosted by the World Bank Group and the Government of Ghana on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, Dr. Aggrey Darko stressed that Ghana’s bureaucratic weaknesses were pulling the country down, despite strong regulatory frameworks.

“The state is inanimate, but it is represented by you and I, especially the public sector institution and that is why I am worried that the public service delivery remains the weakest link in the analysis that was made” he said.

He also highlighted that Ghana has sound policies and regulatory frameworks, but implementation remains a major stumbling block. “We have beautiful policies, but if we cannot implement them, them the policies are as useless as not having them at all,” he added.

He also addressed the role of the private sector, noting that while it is vital for economic growth and job creation, its success depends on a functional public sector. “If the state reneges on its obligations, the private sector cannot function effectively. We must set the right ground rules and make the necessary investments,” he said.

Dr. Aggrey-Darkoh did not shy away from the challenges of reforms, acknowledging that resistance is inevitable. However, he maintained that decisive action is necessary. Turning to Ghana’s governance framework, he questioned whether the country is fully leveraging its democratic stability to foster a conducive business environment. On revenue generation, he lamented the inefficiencies in taxation and the lack of adequate funding for public institutions. He cited ethics and values as essential to fixing the system, noting that no amount of laws can prevent corruption if moral principles are ignored. “Ethics must be built into our system right from the beginning. We cannot leave things to chance and expect them to work” he added. In his concluding remarks, Dr. Aggrey Darko referenced a story about Abraham Lincoln, who once sacrificed his clean clothes to save a pig stuck in the mud, not for the pig’s sake but to ease his own conscience. “If we see poverty, policy gaps, and inefficiencies, what are we doing to ease the pain of our conscience?… It should not be said that when we were in charge, we failed to deliver.” He concluded.