Cape Coast, July 8, GNA - The Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reform, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, on Friday urged workers to work harder to justify the new reform programme.

He said the reforms were necessary to enhance the accelerated development of the nation but stressed that this could only be achieved if workers in the public sector changed their work attitude. Dr Nduom said this when he visited the officers of the Lands Commission and Land Valuation Board at Cape Coast, as part of his working visit to the Central and Western regions.

The visit was to ascertain at first hand the problems of the two departments and to educate them on what the reform programme entails. The minister noted that workers in the public and civil service were the engine of the government and their work input would determine how good or bad a government is, adding " what you do in the public sector is very necessary for the performance government".

He however, admitted that working conditions in the public sector were not the best but assured them that things would improve when the reforms are implemented and asked them to give of their best. Dr Nduom underscored the important role the Lands Commission and Land Valuation Board play in solving land disputes and urged them to evolve new programmes that would help reduce land litigation in the country.

He told them that a "client service unit" would soon be established to receive customer complaints at the office of the head of civil service and therefore, urged them to be ready for the challenges, since Ghanaians now know their rights. Mr Mohammed Alhassan, Regional Lands Officer commended the government for coming out with the reforms programme, stressing that, it would go a long way to improve upon the living conditions of civil and public servants. He said in as much as the staff of his outfit was ready to work, they were constrained by obsolete machines, equipment and inadequate office accommodation and called on the government to help address the situation.