By URN
The government has announced plans to establish Performance Assessment Teams to evaluate the performance of Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Town Clerks across the country.
According to Jane Kyarisiima Mwesiga, the Deputy Head of Public Service in charge of Performance and Service Delivery in the Office of the Prime Minister, this move aims to assess the effectiveness of these accounting officers in delivering services to the public and hold them accountable for their performance.
Speaking during a tour on a fact-finding mission at Kitgum District Council Hall on Thursday, Mwesiga revealed that the Performance Assessment Teams will be deployed to districts and municipalities to evaluate the performance of CAOs and Town Clerks. “These teams will assess their ability to deliver services, manage resources, and implement government policies”. She explained.
According to Mwesiga, the assessment will be based on specific criteria, including their performance in service delivery, financial management, and adherence to government guidelines. Mwesiga added that the assessment is expected to identify areas of strength and weakness among CAOs and Town Clerks. Those who perform well will be recognised and rewarded, while those who underperform will be given guidance on areas that need improvement.
Mwesiga explained that the establishment of these teams will help to put pressure on technical staff to execute their work as per the public standing order, leading to effective service delivery to the community, with the objective of improving service delivery and ensuring that CAOs and Town Clerks are held accountable for their performance.
Stella Abyeto, the Kitgum Chief Administrative Officer, highlighted the need for support to address human resource gaps at the district, which are affecting annual performance and service delivery. “We need help to bridge the human resource gaps at the district to improve our performance and deliver service effectively,” she said.
According to her, the human resource average for Kitgum District stands at 59% against the national average of 76%.
Jimmy Ssegawa Ebil, the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner, echoed similar sentiments, telling Mwesiga that human resource gaps are a major challenge facing administrative units in the district. “We urge the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Local Government to take urgent action to address the challenge”.He said.
Richard Okwera Ojara, the Mayor of Kitgum Municipality, appealed for solutions to salary disparities among civil servants, particularly between humanities teachers and science teachers. “We need to address these disparities to ensure that our staff is motivated and productive,” he said.
During her visit to Kitgum, Mwesiga also toured selected public facilities that are part of government projects. These included the Kitgum Matidi Health Centre III, where a multimillion-shilling surgical theatre is under construction, Kitgum General Hospital, Pandwong Health Centre III, and Labongo Amida Seed Secondary School.
