Agencies under Interior Ministry review activities

The Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr James Agalga, has called on agencies under the ministry to device ways of moving from manual management practices to an electronic regime.

That, according to him, would help the sector to become more efficient in the implementation of its day-to-day activities.

Opening the 2015 Sector Ministry’s Mid-Year Performance Review Workshop in Accra yesterday, he urged all to consider embracing technology in performing their daily duties and activities.

He cited, for instance, the use of emails to transact internal assignments and the drafting of letters and reports in electronic form for quick action and to make for speed, efficiency and the prudent use of resources.

Security

Mr Agalga said public safety was of paramount importance to the government and the citizenry.

He said for the ministry, public safety was particularly necessary for making the country a more attractive destination for foreign direct investments.

He said this year had been particularly challenging due to inadequate resources and the late release of subventions to departments and agencies under the ministry, leading to difficulties in delivering on its mandate.

He noted, however, that in spite of the challenges encountered, significant gains were made in improving the security situation in the country, especially in the areas of armed robbery, drug trafficking and abuse, chieftaincy disputes, inter-ethnic and land conflicts, as well as murders, all of which had declined during the period under review.

Options

The deputy minister said the government was examining various options to significantly improve the output of the sector, including sourcing for external loans and grants to procure logistics for the agencies under the ministry to improve upon their operational efficiency.

He said management, for its part, would have to institute measures that would facilitate improvement in all facets of operational activities.

Mr Agalga commended the men and women in the sector who assisted in the rescue and extrication process during the downpour in Accra on June 3 that resulted in flooding in parts of the city and the fire disaster, both of which claimed about 160 lives.