Commonwealth Secretariat for effective civil service

The Commonwealth Secretariat has said it stands ready and committed to continue supporting government in building a capable and effective civil service.

Commonwealth Secretariat adviser and head of public sector governance Roger Koranteng, made the pledge after conducting an intensive leadership training for 45 principal secretaries (PSs) in Lilongwe.

The secretariat, through its Public Sector Governance Division, organised the three-day training to enhance the PSs leadership and management skills following a request from government.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Secretariat said it was confident the PSs had been equipped to deliver their essential
responsibilities

Koranteng, who also led the training, is quoted in the statement as saying: “Strong and effective leadership is critical to achieving and sustaining a high-performing administration.”

T h e Commonwe a l t h Secretariat has been offering leadership trainings for civil service and public sector leaders across the association’s member States as part of its mission to improve governments’ performance and assist member countries to uphold transparency and accountability in public services.

On her part, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba, who officially opened the training, underscored the importance of regular capacity building in public service, given the challenges the world is facing.

She also called on civil servants to redouble their efforts towards the provision of efficient and effective service delivery.

The training came days after the controlling officers conceded before President Lazarus Chakwera there was laxity in enforcement of discipline in the civil service and pledged to drive the country’s reforms to improve service delivery.