Management of public sector records in Ghana: a descriptive survey

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to survey and evaluate the management of public sector records in Ghana with a view to making constructive recommendations to ensure efficiency in public administration. Design/methodology/approach – Published and unpublished works, in addition to institutional reports, acts and conference materials, were used for the survey and evaluation. Findings – Public sector records management has been a very topical issue in Africa and Ghana. It has remained a very fundamental subject in Ghana since the institution of public sector reforms in the 1990s. Before the institution of the reform programme, critical records were inaccessible due to unstructured records systems in the ministries, departments and agencies and other government establishments. It was found out that the reform programme had brought on board immense capital injection into the records management sector which enabled an overhaul of the system. All registries in the public sector were restructured, a new legislative framework was put in place, a functional records centre was established, an omnibus retention schedule was developed and a number of records staff were trained and re-trained. It was however found out that Act 535, having been in operation for 17 years, the needed regulation to make it more operational has not yet been put in place. It is the hope that with adequate funding and structural support, the new system will be sustained to the benefit of efficiency and productivity of the Ghana public sector. Research limitations/implications – Being a descriptive survey, the research engaged in very little evaluation of the impact of the new system put in place on the levels of efficiency and productivity in the public sector. This should be the focus of further research to be carried out. Practical implications – This paper has established the importance of how structures must be sustained and systems continuously re-tooled to accommodate changing trends in records management for good governance. Originality/value – The paper is a descriptive survey of literature, manuals reports and some degree of personal observations. It is more of a situation paper and its value resides in the precedence and the evidential value of system intervention and re-tooling.