Experts and senior public sector officials on Thursday called for strong institutions, policy continuity, and institutionalised reforms to sustain governance improvements across political and administrative transitions in Africa. 

They spoke during a panel session on “Sustaining Reforms Through Political and Administrative Transitions’’ at the ongoing international civil service conference in Abuja.

Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, the head of the civil service of Ghana and lead panellist, said governance must ultimately serve the interests of citizens through effective and inclusive service delivery.

According to him, reforms are necessary for national development but are often resisted because many people are comfortable with the status quo or uncertain about the future outcomes of change.

“Anytime you want to undertake reforms, you need to know that people will resist. Some are comfortable with the status quo, while others prefer an unacceptable present to an uncertain future,” he said.

Mr Aggrey-Darkoh noted that political and administrative transitions had become inevitable in democratic systems, adding that governments must, therefore, build resilient institutions capable of sustaining reforms beyond leadership changes.

“Once we decide that democracy will be the only game in town, then we must admit that there will be transitions,” he said.

He added that although transitions could create uncertainties, they also offered opportunities for innovation, renewal and institutional strengthening.

The Ghanaian civil service boss identified weak institutional frameworks, policy discontinuity, limited ownership and poor change management as factors responsible for the loss of reform momentum in many countries.

He stressed the importance of strong leadership and capable public bureaucracies in driving sustainable development across Africa.

“We need strong institutions, but I will argue that we also need strong men and women in strong institutions,” he said.

Mr Aggrey-Darkoh further urged public servants to provide professional and objective advice to political leaders while ensuring the effective implementation of government policies.

He said the performance of public institutions represented “the state in action,” warning that failure by state institutions amounted to failure of the government to its citizens.

Also speaking, former head of the civil service of the federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, said reforms must be institution-based rather than tied to individuals to ensure sustainability.

“If reforms are based on individuals, once those individuals leave office, the reforms may also disappear.

“They must be rooted in institutions and backed by legal frameworks so that successors see them as processes that must continue,” she said.

Mrs Yemi-Esan added that reforms must enjoy broad acceptance among stakeholders and beneficiaries to ensure continuity and long-term success.

Similarly, the Secretary to the Cabinet and head of civil service of The Gambia said reforms should be anchored on policies, legislation and administrative systems to survive political transitions.

He said The Gambia was updating its Public Service Act of 1991 to align with current reform priorities and strengthen continuity in governance.

According to him, reforms must also be embedded in administrative processes through investments in digital systems such as human resource information systems and electronic recruitment platforms.

“Our e-recruitment platform now allows Gambians anywhere in the world to apply for public service jobs digitally. These systems help reforms to go beyond political transitions,” he said.

The official also highlighted ongoing reforms in the country’s pay and grading system as part of broader public sector modernisation efforts being implemented with support from the World Bank.

In his remarks, Causemore Maringa, permanent secretary for public sector reforms and performance in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Zimbabwe, said the civil service played a critical role in preserving continuity and implementing national priorities.

Mr Maringa said public institutions were responsible for ensuring systematic implementation of government policies and delivering measurable results to citizens.

“The civil service ensures that government has the necessary policy and institutional arrangements to achieve national goals,” he said.

He added that sustainable reforms required effective implementation mechanisms and long-term institutional commitment. 

(NAN)