Workshop aims for improved service delivery

 PUBLIC Servants in Eastern Highlands are attending a two-day workshop on services improvement programmes.

The workshop, conducted by Department of Implementation and Rural Development, focuses on services improvement at the provincial, district and LLG levels.

National Planning and Rural Development Minister Charles Abel said in his opening remarks that the greatest challenge was to improve services delivery and standards of living.

He said this would continue to get priority under the current government as they aimed at building a vibrant rural sector.

“In the 2013 Budget, the government demonstrated its commitment to improving rural welfare by allocating a total of K1.7 billion for provincial, district and LLG services improvement programme which is the biggest allocation since independence,” he said.

The minister challenged public servants to be committed to government plans and policies for effective delivery of services.

Acting department secretary Paul Sai’i reiterated the importance of implementation of policies and programmes.

He said public servants were the “purse-keepers” of government funds earmarked for development and they must perform their duties with honesty and trust.

Sai’Iurged them to comply with the government plans and visions to be effective in their delivery of services.

 The public servants were taken through various plans and policies of Government especially Vision 2050and other development aspirations of the Government.

According to the program, two main objectives of the workshop were to impart to officers their roles and responsibilities and the processes to follow when developing and managing service improvement programs and projects. The other is to enforce compliance on various Government policy standards and regulations for good governance, transparency and accountability in usage of development funds.

The workshop held at the Bird of Paradise Hotel ended yesterday afternoon.