Management Analyst in the Public Sector Reform Unit Mr. Llewellyn Olawale Williams, has disclosed that the entire work force of the civil service is 15,612 of which 89% are in the minor level whilst 0.99% are in high management level.
Mr Williams was delivering a lecture over the weekend at the Management Forum organized by Standard Chartered Bank and the British Council held at the British Council on the topic: “The challenges of introducing change in the public sector in Sierra Leone.”
Speaking about the public sector Mr Williams said that it comprises of an institution that gives meaning to the government by delivering goods and services whether be it soldiers, police or local district officers.
He said out of the 15,612 civil servants 14,906 fall within the grades 1-6 which is 89% of the entire civil service work force in the minor level.
By indication, he pointed out 89% of the work force are barely or totally unskilled.
Even more challenging he noted was the scenario that top management level in the civil service were 155 between the grades 11-14 representing a mere 1% exactly 0.99%. “if this should change we have to concentrate on the lower and middle level and in doing that you have to lay off some workers. Growing issues may arise in implementing this strategic change” he said.
Giving a brief background of the civil service, he explained that at the end of the war in 2002, the former government was faced with the daunting task of re-establishing its authority and getting the administration to function effectively-thus the civil service then was hampered with varied managerial skills and technical personnel that were lacking.
He said poor performance, absence of work and brain drain characterized the civil service.
This was when he said the civil service reform was initiated to be coupled with other major social reforms like reconstruction were tied to the civil service for effectiveness and efficiency.
“At anytime we have a new government, the new government changes politically but the administration remains. In 2002 it was the first time that the government had to look at holistically the machinery to implement the civil service reform.”
How to go about change and a very important aspect of it was to audit all core operations of the institutions, identify areas to do change and to evaluate it to make it attractive for productivity.
Mr Williams further stated that the public sector meant all institutions acting in the name of the state, while the service will mean direct employees helping the executive branch of government in implementing policies.
Highlighting further that the public sector reforms was born out of the need to revamp the management and pace it with all institutions of government carrying out their roles and responsibilities for the existence of the state.
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