THE GOVERNMENT OF KANO STATE PROPOSED ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND STRUCTURES FOR THE REFORM OF THE KANO STATE GOVERNMENT PUBLIC SERVICE

Transcription

1 THE GOVERNMENT OF KANO STATE PROPOSED ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND STRUCTURES FOR THE REFORM OF THE KANO STATE GOVERNMENT PUBLIC SERVICE December 2009 SECOND DRAFT

2 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS The Executive Council Reform Committee The Reform Steering Committee The Technical Support Group... 6 Voice and Accountability Technical Executive Committee MDA Technical Reform Committees Monitoring and Evaluation... 7 ANNEX... 8

3 1. INTRODUCTION These are proposals to establish the necessary structures and organisational arrangements to enable Kano State Government to develop a quality public service with the workforce, leadership, organisation, systems and capacity to deliver Government policy, goals and objectives effectively. Thus it is concerned with the arrangements for the governance of public services. Governance is taken to mean the processes by which decisions are made and the ways in which what has been decided is carried out, or not carried out. Governments are the major players in governance and this reform process is led by Kano State Government. Governance and the reform of governance is however not the sole preserve of Government and, in one sense there are no boundaries to the reform process, other than the requirement that reform is concerned with some aspects of governance that are the responsibility of the State Government and contribute to developing a quality public service in Kano State. These arrangements will include reform initiatives that require partnership working with civil society, traditional rulers, Ulamma, NGOs and the private sector. These groups and institutions all have a part to play in the reform of government, and will certainly need to be involved in influencing the programme even if not directly involved through formal partnerships. It is important to emphasise that State Government cannot progress any Governance Reform Strategy without engaging with Local and Federal Government each with their constitutional duties for providing public services to the citizens of Kano State. These arrangements bring together a number of programmes already underway or planned that are concerned with developing a quality public service in Kano State. These include: Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN); Growth and Employment in States (GEMS); Partnership for Reforming Health Systems (PATHS); SERVICOM; State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI); State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Accountability (SPARC); and Support to Reforming Institutions Programme (SRIP). 2. ORGANISTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS It is proposed that the following committees and groups be established: An Executive Council Reform Committee to oversee the reform process; A Reform Steering Committee comprising senior public servants; A Voice and Accountability Technical Committee;

4 Sector Reform Committees in each MDA or group of MDAs; and A Reform Secretariat which will support the reform process 2.1 The Executive Council Reform Committee It is proposed that the Kano State Government Executive Council (EXCO) should establish a committee to lead and co-ordinate the reform process on its behalf. It should be called the Executive Council Reform Committee. The key functions of this committee would be to lead the reform process, and: approve a future vision for Kano State s public services that will enable Government to achieve its high level goal of a quality public services as required by the Kano State Roadmap for Development; approve the strategy and guiding principles for achieving Government s vision and establish high level milestones for assessing progress; act as Champions for the reform process providing the necessary political leadership, authority and commitment to ensure milestones are achieved successfully; review high level performance and hold the Reform Steering Committee (see below) to account for achieving agreed reform milestones; provide the political leadership to facilitate the development of a positive, enabling environment for partnership working between the Local, State and Federal levels of Government; with the private sector and with civil society; and ensure high-level liaison with development partners. It is proposed that the Executive Council Reform Committee oversee all governance reform activities including: ESSPIN; GEMS; PATHS; SAVI; SPARC; and SRIP. Membership of the EXCO Reform Committee should comprise: His Excellency the Governor. Hon. Commissioners for Planning and Budget; Local Government; Health; Justice; Commerce; Education; and Finance. The Secretary to State Government. The Head of Service. It is proposed that it should meet twice a year. 2.2 The Reform Steering Committee This Committee, directly accountable to the Executive Council Reform Committee, would be the operational driving force for reform. In particular it would: decide the broad strategy for achieving the milestones set by the Executive Council Reform Committee; ensure the effective co-ordination of the reform process at a strategic level within and between the various ministries, departments and agencies of State Government; decide a programme for establishing Technical Reform Committees for Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and oversee the implementation of that programme

5 including terms of reference for each committee that include what each is accountable for in terms of performance against agreed milestones; ensure effective liaison and joint working with Local Government Authorities through the Ministry of Local Government; ensure effective, high level liaison with development partners to ensure their support through State Led Programmes is focussed on Government s goals for a reformed public service; prepare high level policy and strategy for consideration by the Executive Council Reform Committee; monitor progress against delivery of high level milestones and report progress to the Executive Council Reform Committee; hold MDA Reform Committees to account for their performance against agreed milestones and take any necessary action to ensure milestones are achieved; monitor the performance of the Technical Support Group to ensure it provides necessary technical support for MDA Technical Reform Committees; and ensure stakeholders, particularly those not represented on the Steering Committee in Government and civil society, are kept informed of progress and that they have appropriate opportunities to influence and contribute to the process. It is proposed that the Reform Steering Committee should meet at least six times a year and be chaired by the Head of Service with Secretariat support being provided by his Office. Like the Executive Council Reform Committee it is proposed that it should be accountable for all governance reform activities including the donor supported: ESSPIN, GEMS, PATHS, SAVI, SPARC, and SRIP programmes. The Committee should include: two members of the Executive Council Reform Committee (one of whom should be the Head of Service); representatives of the Permanent Secretaries (to be decided by the HoS); Chief Executives of the main parastatal organisations; and a limited number of other persons who have an interest in and an enthusiasm for advancing the reform of the public service. The Reform Steering Committee will also establish MDA Technical Reform Committees that will be responsible for reform at a service level and for ensuring appropriate technical support is available to both the Steering Committee and MDA Reform Committees. More details of these organisational arrangements for leading, co-ordinating and supporting this Governance Reform Programme are at 2.4 (below). One of the key responsibilities of the Reform Steering Committee will be to facilitate appropriate linkages between MDAs within State Government that have a common interest and purpose in achieving reform. In addition it will promote partnership working with Local Government Authorities where both levels of government have a shared responsibility for providing different aspects of the same public service to Kano citizens. The focus for this partnership working will be the Ministry of Local Government. In addition it will propose that the existing hierarchy of workshops/retreats and communication networks should be used to raise awareness amongst key stakeholders and civil society about the reform process.

6 2.3 The Reform Secretariat Initially, the reform process is likely to be reliant on technical assistance from outside Government. However the strategy will be, over time, to work with development partners to develop appropriate capacity within the public service. Thus it is proposed that Government should establish a Reform Secretariat headed by a senior person, at no less than Permanent Secretary level to report to the Reform Steering Committee. In addition to the normal administrative tasks associated with supporting a high level Committee, the Reform Secretariat will work with development partners to ensure appropriate technical expertise is available to support the Reform Steering Committee and the Sector Reform Committees. Within the Secretariat there will also be a Technical Lead for each reform programme who will liaise with the appropriate State Led Programme (SLP) to ensure that appropriate Government Officers are appointed to act as Project Managers for the different work streams and elements of the SLPs. The officers designated as Project Managers are also likely to be playing key roles in the different Sector Reform Committees. Voice and Accountability Technical Executive Committee If Government is to develop quality public services for the citizens of Kano State, it is important that any reforms should be responsive to their expectations, priorities and views. Thus it is proposed that Government should establish a committee to advise on and influence the reform process from the perspective of Civil Society. This Committee, reporting directly to the Reform Steering Committee, should be largely independent of the public service hierarchy and political patronage. It is proposed that the Committee should be Chaired by an independent, respected person with a background in the public service and that the Committee should include: representatives of NGOs; the State House of Assembly; the State Auditor General; the DfID Social Development Adviser; representatives of the private health and education sector; and a representative of GHON. It is proposed that the SLP, the State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI), should play a key role in establishing this Committee and that, with the Reform Steering Committee, the Voice and Accountability Technical Executive Committee, should be the main focus for oversight of community engagement and ensuring that all sections of society are considered and represented in the reform process, particularly the MDA Technical Reform Committees. 2.4 Sector Reform Committees Having established the Reform Steering Committee the strategy is for it to establish Sector Reform Committees responsible for delivering reform in particular sectors. The pace at which Sector Reform Committees will be established will be decided by the Reform Steering Committee but it is anticipated committees for Health, Justice, Economic Development, Education and Governance are likely to be early contenders. These would be responsible for leading and co-ordinating reform activities in their sectors and delivering the appropriate milestones.

7 2.5 Monitoring and Evaluation In order to support a rolling programme approach to the implementation of the Reform Programme, effective monitoring and evaluation systems will be required. The overall approach to this M&E will be to implement a performance review process, which will be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of policies, strategies, and plans in the Reform Programmes and make adjustments as a result. Reporting on progress by the Sector Reform Committees will take place prior to each of the Reform Committee meetings. The Reform Committee will report on progress prior to the six monthly Executive Council Reform Committee meetings.

8 ANNEX The following table suggests possible membership of four Sector Reform Committees. SECTOR REFORM COMMITTEES It is proposed that Growth, Governance, Health and Education Sector Reform Committees should as follows: Growth Technical Reform Committee: Commissioner for Commerce Permanent Secretary Commerce Permanent Secretary Finance Permanent Secretary Planning and Budget Chairman Board of Internal Revenue Permanent Secretary Agriculture Permanent Secretary Ministry of Land KNUPDA Representative of Corporate Affairs Commission Permanent Secretary Justice Representative Chamber of Commerce National Association of Small Scale Industries Representative of Manufacturer s Association, Nigeria Representative GEMS Representative ICP Representative PROPCOM Governance Technical Reform Committee: Commissioner Planning and Budget Permanent Secretary Special Duties (OHoS)

9 Permanent Secretary Planning and Budget Permanent Secretary Finance Permanent Secretary Local Government Permanent Secretary Pensions Permanent Secretary Science and Technology Permanent Secretary Special Duties (SSG Office) Permanent Secretary Civil Service Commission Permanent Secretary Projects Monitoring Directorate Permanent Secretary Administration and General Services (SSG Office) Permanent Secretary REPA (SSG Office) Chair Appropriations Committee Permanent Secretary Establishment (OHoS) Permanent Secretary Manpower Development and Training (OHoS) Director General Societal Re-orientation Director General Public Complaints Commission State Team Leader SPARC State Co-ordinator EU SRIP DfID Governance Adviser Health Technical Reform Committee: Commissioner for Health Permanent Secretary Health Permanent Secretary Local Government Permanent Secretary Women s Affairs and Youth Development Director General Hospital Management Board State House of Assembly Committee Chair on Health Director Primary Health Care Ministry of Health Director PRS Ministry of Health Director, Human Resources Development, MoH Principal, School of Nursing Principal, School of Health Technology Secretary Donor Co-ordination Forum Ministry of Health Directorate (Donor Coordination Desk Office) Zonal Coordinator NPHCDA Guild of Medical Directors

10 DFID Health Adviser Representative from WHO/UNICEF Representative SunMaP PATHS2 State Team Leader Education Technical Reform Committee: Commissioner Education Permanent Secretary Education Permanent Secretary Higher Education Nigerian Union of Teachers Chairman SUBEB Chair House Committee on Education Ministry of Finance Ministry of Planning and Budget Ministry of Local Government Ministry of Woman s Affairs SESP State Central SBMC/PTA 3 Task Team Members Representatives from Civil Society organisations Forum for Islamiyya Schools Forum for Private Schools DfID Education Adviser State Team Leader ESSPIN