{
  "id": 12571177,
  "title": "Local Government Service authorises rationalisation, redistribution of staff",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/local-government-service-authorises-rationalisation-redistribution-of-12571177",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T06:52:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghana Business News",
    "slug": "ghana-business-news",
    "url": "https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2026/10/07/local-government-service-authorises-rationalisation-redistribution-of-staff/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Local Government Service (LGS) has approved a restructuring plan and reallocation of personnel across Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to tackle staffing imbalances and enhance efficiency in local government administration. Professor Lord Kwaku Mensah, the Head of the LGS, revealed this plan and explained that staff would be moved from areas with excess personnel to regions facing shortages, based on staffing norms, competencies, positions, and operational requirements. The restructuring exercise, he emphasized, was not punitive but aimed at ensuring the right number of skilled personnel were stationed at the appropriate locations to bolster service delivery.\n\nDuring a visit to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) in Tamale, Professor Mensah interacted with staff from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to gather firsthand insights into their operations, working conditions, achievements, and challenges. This engagement took place at NRCC and included representatives from regions such as Savelugu, Sagnarigu, and the Tamale Assemblies.\n\nThe decision to rationalize staffing stemmed from observations of uneven distribution of personnel, with some MMDAs having more staff than necessary while others lacked the minimum number of officers required for effective operation, as cited by Tamale Metropolitan Assembly. Regional Coordinating Directors have been directed to commence the process of redeploying officers to areas where their services are required, in accordance with the rules and conditions of service. Officers who have remained in a position beyond the required period may also be transferred to other areas, including headquarters or outside their current region.\n\nProfessor Mensah advised staff to comply with official postings, warning that non-compliance could result in consequences under the service's rules and scheme of service. He emphasized that decisions regarding postings, promotions, deployments, and resource allocation would be based on reliable personnel and operational data to minimize perceptions of bias, favoritism, and nepotism. The LGS is also developing web-based Local Government Service Operational Tools to digitize human resource and operational processes, providing real-time data to support management decisions, with a strong emphasis on the accuracy of information supplied by Human Resource units at regional and assembly levels.\n\nThe service is focused on professionalizing its workforce by promoting discipline, ethical conduct, punctuality, and adherence to institutional procedures. Professor Mensah expressed concern over lateness and absenteeism, citing attendance levels as low as 30%, 45%, and 50% during his visits to various MMDAs. He urged coordinating directors and heads of departments to enhance supervision and ensure that staff were not only physically present but were productive and responsive to their assigned responsibilities. He cautioned against disregarding reporting lines and supervisory authority, warning that poor departmental leadership and lack of adherence to institutional hierarchy could undermine coordination and service delivery.\n\nAdditionally, Professor Mensah addressed concerns about alleged attempts by some Human Resource officers to alter dates of birth in official records to extend the working lives of staff. He stressed the importance of the integrity of personnel records for effective human resource planning and warned of administrative, disciplinary, and legal consequences for those involved in altering official records. He urged staff to maintain political neutrality, emphasizing that public servants should avoid active partisan politics to ensure continuity in public administration irrespective of changes in government. On staff development, he stated that the service aimed to provide a minimum of 40 hours of training annually per staff member, with plans to implement a Learning Management System to facilitate online training, self-tutoring, and assessments, reducing the cost of continuous professional development. He also proposed a more coordinated calendar for job-class association conferences to alleviate the burden on regional and MMDA resources. Mr. Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, appealed to the management of the Local Government Service to consult the Regional Coordinating Councils before transferring officers whose services were deemed valuable to the region. Professor Mensah expressed his willingness to collaborate with officers currently serving in the region, encouraging them to remain focused on effective public service while emphasizing the importance of discipline and performance. He commended Professor Mensah for undertaking the tour to gain firsthand knowledge of the working conditions and operations of the various MMDAs.",
  "summary": "The Local Government Service (LGS) has authorised the rationalisation and redistribution of staff across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to address disparities in staffing levels and improve efficiency in local government administration. The post Local Government Service authorises rationalisation, redistribution of staff appeared first on Ghana Business News .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "Local Government Service authorises rationalisation, redistribution of staff",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/local-government-service-authorises-rationalisation-redistribution-of",
        "published": "2026-10-07T05:25:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "3News",
        "title": "Local Government Committee chair urges Accra Mayor to remove unauthorised billboards",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/local-government-committee-chair-urges-accra-mayor-to-remove",
        "published": "2026-10-07T06:17:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}