Mrs. Cecilia Ofori-Asante, the Municipal Budget Officer of Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly has revealed that residents breaching any of the bye-laws of the Assembly will be punished.
She said any person who contravene the bye-laws of the Assembly commits an offence punishable by law and liable to summary conviction or fine.
Mrs. Ofori-Asante explained that 60 and 40 percent fines resulting from the breach of the bye-laws are paid into the Assembly’s account and the Consolidated Fund respectively.
The Municipal Budget Officer of Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly was presenting a paper at a two-day training programme (Thursday 26th and Friday 27th September, 2024) for newly recruited staff and new staff posted to the Assembly in Accra.
The training was to enable staff acquire requisite knowledge and skills to perform their duties effectively.
The Municipal Budget Officer touching on various sections of the bye-law indicated that a person shall not use a place for the sale of musical records or other recorded music unless the place has been inspected, approved and licensed by the Assembly.
She further stated that a person shall apply to the Municipal Health Department for a permit/license to operate a facility shall be renewed every two years.
Madam Sefia Salifu, the Senior Human Resource Manager in a presentation on Performance Appraisal and Performance Contract said the document is crucial to tracking the performance and developments of staff in the various Units and Departments of the Assembly.
She explained that every staff employed must be assessed to ensure that their performance aligned with the goals, vision and mission of the Assembly.
Madam Sefia further disclosed that the document enable staff to sit up in the discharge of their duties.
Madam Sefia explained that Performance Contracts are between the Honourable Regional Minister, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCE’s) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCD’s).
The Senior Human Resource Manager stressed that every staff member at various levels of the Local Government Service is subject to the Performance Contract.
She further indicated that Service Delivery Standards (SDS) are the minimum level of expected services in terms of quality, time and cost that the service provider commits to deliver to its clients.
She indicated that the SDS are participation, professionalism, efficient and effective use of resources, client focus, accountability and transparency.
Mr. Osaman Mohammed, the Head of the Internal Audit in a presentation on the New Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (PFMA), Act 921 (Local Governance) passed in August 2016, is to address the significant weaknesses especially in fiscal policy formulation, budgeting, commitment control, transparency and accountability, debt management and improve service delivery through the monitoring of results.
He stated that the Act comprising 104 Sections and 134 Clauses provides for the responsibilities of the Minister, salary negotiation for public sector, performance report, borrowing by Local Government Authorities among others.
Mr. Mohammed however pointed that there are sanctions for any breaches of the New Public Financial Management Act.
He stressed that a person commits an offence if he or she fails to collect monies due to the government, accepts or receives money or valuable consideration or valuable consideration for the avoidance of an official duty, fail to report or provide information in respect of fraud committed by another person among others.
Madam Eunice Asantewaa Ofosu took participants through Effective Communication and Report Writing.
Other topics were code of ethics for staff of LGS and Standing Orders of the Assembly.
Source: onma.gov.gh
By Jeffrey De-Gr
aft Johnson, AD IIB
