The quality of human resources is critical to the development of any country. To enhance sustainable development and poverty reduction, governments need human capacities, especially that of the public sector, to transform... [ view full abstract ]
The quality of human resources is critical to the development of any country. To enhance sustainable development and poverty reduction, governments need human capacities, especially that of the public sector, to transform their commitments on these issues into results. Nowhere in the world are these human capacities needed more than in developing countries and especially Africa. In Africa, the current developmental crisis, in particular the financial and economic crisis that have engulfed almost every country on the continent will not be adequately addressed without capable human resource to search for and implement appropriate remedies. It is in the light of this realisation that many governments are now focusing on building their public sector human capacities with the development of numerous capacity building initiatives and human resources management systems after years of retrenchment and pay freezes.
Earlier this year, the government of Ghana through the Public Services Commission, developed a new human resources management policy framework for the public sector. The objective of the policy is to achieve a “fundamental paradigm shift from inward-looking, bureaucratic systems, processes and attitudes, and reliance on long service as a standard for recognition to a Service which is based on merit and performance and which, puts the needs of the public first, conducts its business professionally, transparently and ethically and holds public servants accountable for their actions.” The principal idea is that such a paradigm shift will lead to the transformation of the Ghanaian Public Service into an ethical, responsive, and citizen-oriented Service that will provide, and continue to provide into the future high quality and timely services to the Ghanaian public.
With this in mind, the essence of this paper is to critically examine the policy framework with the view of understanding whether it is the ‘holy grail’ to transform a sector that has suffered considerable neglect since independence from the theoretical perspective of organisational learning. To this end, the paper attempts to answer these questions: will the new policy framework lead to fundamental shift in human resources management in the public sector? Has it adequately unearthed the fundamental issues underpinning the effective management of human resources in the sector? And has it proposed capable solutions to these issues?
It is argued that while the policy framework is very comprehensive covering critical aspects of HRM in the sector, whether it is able to achieve its set objectives depends significantly on the implementation of the policy, which has not been adequately addressed in the framework. Furthermore, it neglects the issue of the politicisation of HR, particularly hiring and firing in the sector. It also does not address the neglect of HR departments, which are considered as the “Siberia” of the sector where ‘unwanted’ elements in the sector, public and civil servants, are posted to in a number of organisations and the perception accorded to HR in the current environment.
We substantiate our argument with interviews from human resources managers from the civil service and some organisations in the larger public service through the narrative approach.
