Public Services Commission gets first woman chairperson
President John Evans Atta Mills on Thursday swore-in Mrs Bridget Katsriku, immediate past Vice Chairperson of the Public Services Commission (PSC) as the maiden substantive Chairperson.
He charged her to apply the best of her expertise for a better Public Service.
“With you as Chairperson, we should expect nothing less. We’ll give you the fullest support and co-operation, so that you can look back and say with conviction that you contributed to our Better Ghana Agenda,” President Mills said, adding, “may the Good Lord grant you knowledge, wisdom and understanding to do the work entrusted to you”.
Mrs Katsriku, whose appointment took effect from March, 1, 2011, was given the nod by President Mills in consultation with the Council of State.
President Mills said Mrs Katsriku’s appointment was based on merit while her background and antecedent justify her new position.
He urged her to bring more objectivity, transparency and fairness on her job.
President Mills said the best people were needed to assume positions of trust and responsibility to carry out Government policies and programmes to effect change to improve the lives of the people.
Mr Henry Martey Newman, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, reminded the new Chairperson of people who distinguished themselves in her role, and urged her to carry on with the excellent service.
He said the PSC was a very appointment national institution and it was important for persons appointed to the position to have been tested and assume their duty with a sense of mission.
Mr Newman expressed confidence that Mrs Katsriku was capable for the position, and added that people in public institutions had the responsibility to serve the Government of the day, support the sitting president and make his agenda work.
Mrs Katsriku thanked President Mills for the confidence reposed in her, and promised that with God’s grace and support she would improve the image of the PSC.
She however said the Public Service was faced with challenges of relatively weak leadership, inadequate capacity and mechanisms to monitor performances as well as inefficient reward mechanisms.
Mrs Katsriku joined the Civil Service in Ghana in September 1975, and rose through the ranks to become one of the female directors in the Service, a position she held from 1999 to 2008.
Source: GNA