PM: Embrace performance contracts

Written By:PMPS,    Posted: Wed, Sep 05, 2012

Odinga said performance contracts should serve as a crucial yardstick in transforming the Public Service Prime Minister Raila Odinga Wednesday warned that government institutions hesitant to sign performance contracts will face dire consequences saying the exercise remains a key pillar in shepherding the road map to the realization of vision 2030. He spoke as Public Services Minister Dalmas Otieno and Acting Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia lamented that some government institutions are yet to embrace the concept of performance contract. While appreciating the milestone so far achieved Odinga said the concept should serve as a crucial yardstick in transforming the Public Service. Odinga spoke when he led government institutions among them ministers in signing performance contracts for the year 2012/2013. The Premier directed Local Authorities to immediately establish systems for managing solid waste in urban areas to guarantee a clean and healthy environment that encourages human settlement and investment. He said that poor solid waste management has become a national problem because local authorities are hesitant to provide quality services to citizens. ‘'There even appears to be a general reluctance by local authorities to implement their own by-laws'', said the PM. Odinga challenged the councils to improve service delivery to Kenyans stressing the value for money principle in service delivery. He noted that citizens can hardly be expected to pay rates to local authorities when they live in unsanitary conditions that are also an impediment to investment. He said that his office in collaboration with other government agencies has been tracking the implementation of performance contracts throughout the country over the past two months - and has noted a remarkable improvement in ministries, state corporations and tertiary educational institutions. But Odinga said that these improvements had been elusive when it came to local authorities countrywide according to a monitoring and evaluation report. ‘'That sector faces serious challenges, including project implementation, solid waste management, information technology uptake, the working environment, skills and urban planning' 'he said. He was categorical that the government was committed to implementing reforms to improve service delivery. The PM said that the government will continue using performance contracts as a management accountability framework to drive the implementation of programmes and projects at both levels of government. He advised that for high levels of performance to be attained and sustained, public servants must embrace high standards of professional ethics. ‘'Officers must be promptly responsive, and must ensure that the services provided are efficient, effective, impartial, accessible, affordable and equitable to all'' he said. And in line with the provisions of the new constitution, the PM stated public servants must also ensure that people have the information that allows them to benefit from public services. Odinga was of the view that there was need for the Public sector to embrace innovation, technology and modern processes for the country to have a competitive edge. "There is clear need for sustained re-engineering and for the injection of resources to enhance delivery systems and train service providers. We have a School of Government and it must develop modules for training," he stated. He told public servants that in the coming transition period, public services nationwide must continue uninterrupted and if anything, the public should see only an improvement. At the same time, the Premier encouraged more women to join politics and take slots earmarked for women as per the new constitution. While congratulating public servants who have so far resigned to join politics, he observed that no woman has taken the queue yet the constitution opens vast opportunities for women political representation at all levels. "It may be difficult to meet this threshold if women do not go for these seats'', the PM said.