“Ghana’s Public Sector Reform Pays Off: Improved Service Delivery for Citizens – Osafo-Maafo”
The Public Sector Reform for Results Project (PSRRP), a landmark initiative launched in 2019, has achieved remarkable success in enhancing efficiency and accountability across 13 key public sector institutions in Ghana. The project, funded by a $24 million World Bank credit facility, has made significant strides in improving service delivery, citizen engagement, and access to public services.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), one of the beneficiary institutions, has reduced vehicle registration times from six hours to under two hours and increased daily driver’s license production from 700 to 2,500. The Passport Office has cleared a substantial backlog, processing and printing approximately 700,000 passport applications since August 2023. However, it has been noted that many passports remain uncollected at passport offices nationwide, and applicants are urged to collect their passports promptly.
The Births and Deaths Registry has also made significant progress, increasing birth registration rates from 58% in 2015 to 93% in 2022, thanks to new mobile registration services and improved data integration systems. The project has also introduced advanced ICT equipment to institutions like the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), enhancing confidentiality and efficiency in case management. Video conferencing facilities have been established at the Public Services Commission and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, enabling online recruitments and interviews and significantly reducing costs and processing times.
The Senior Presidential Advisor, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has emphasized the importance of sustaining these reforms to improve public sector efficiency and accountability. He has expressed appreciation to the World Bank for its financial and technical support and to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the PSRRP. The project’s achievements demonstrate Ghana’s commitment to transforming the public sector and improving service delivery to citizens and the private sector. Sustaining these reforms will be crucial in achieving sustainable development and making public institutions more efficient, effective, transparent, accountable, and responsive.
