Dr Nana Ato Arthur in a meeting with the coordinating directors in his office
Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, has directed metropolitan, municipal and district coordinating directors in the Greater Accra Region to call their city guards and taskforce officers to order.
He has also charged them to investigate and expel city guards and taskforce members engaged in extortion and misbehaviour within their various jurisdictions.
“Between now and December 2018, I want you as coordinating directors to regulate the activities of city guards and taskforce officers through the engagement of their leaders to let them understand their role as required by law,” he directed.
Dr Ato Arthur gave the directives when he met the coordinating directors in his office.
The meeting was also for the directors to share best practices on management of the activities of the city guards and taskforce members.
He recounted a series of complains and agitations received from public officers, chiefs and market women especially from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area on the misbehaviour of city guards and taskforce officers of assemblies whose work has become a nuisance.
Dr Arthur said the extortion and misbehaviour of the city guards and taskforce officers were putting the names of assemblies and by extension government into disrepute. He charged the coordinating directors to call them to order with immediate effect.
Dr Arthur urged the assemblies to strictly monitor the duty schedules of these officers indicating the locations of assignment. They are also to be provided with name tags to ensure proper supervision.
He tasked the coordinating directors to turn the weakness of the city guards and taskforce officers to strength by curbing their corrupt practices.
“As coordinating directors, you are the administrative heads of the MMDAs and responsible for controlling the activities and actions of the city guards and taskforce officers,” he stated.
Ato Arthur reiterated the need for MMDAs to discharge their mandates including city decongestion with circumspection.
He noted that city guards and taskforce officers have their own ways of extorting money from market women and vehicle owners.
The head of service requested the coordinating directors to reintroduce the white shirt and black trousers uniform for the city guards in addition to name tags.
The coordinating directors pledged to strengthen supervision in addition to the introduction of measures to streamline activities of city guards and taskforce officers.
They also assured of monitoring of officers and their designated locations in order to have up-to-date information on their operations and what transpired on a daily basis.
“We will maintain city guards to run the day-to-day activities of the assemblies, whilst we will bring in the taskforce for special assignment,” they pledged.