"Our goal is to make CSTC a preferred institution for civil service training, center of excellence" - JICA Ghana

Chief Representative, JICA Ghana, Momoko SUZUKI says the continuous partnership between JICA Ghana and Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC) and by extension with the Office of Head of Service likewise Government of Ghana, has strengthened the technical capacity of staff of the center to deliver and manage high level and quality training in the areas of Ethical Leadership, Quality Productivity and Public Service Delivery Improvements over the years. 

According to her, JICA Ghana's goal is to make CSTC, the preferred institution for civil service training and a “Center of Excellence” not only in Ghana but also in the sub-region. 

Speaking at a Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC) media engagement in Accra, Momoko SUZUKI said "JICA has enjoyed a good working relationship with CSTC since our first Technical Cooperation project was initiated about one and half decades ago"

She disclosed that through the flourishing relationship, JICA has extended several support to the Centre, through its Technical Cooperation projects and Grant Aid schemes.  

"Not only have we focused on the training capacity of the Center, but we have also supported immensely the physical infrastructure and logistical capacity of the Centre as you would witness today during this engagement. Indeed, our collaboration has grown from strength to strength"

"One of JICA’s global agenda, is to strengthen good governance and institutions to secure human security. At the heart of institutional strengthening, is developing the humans resource capacity and improving administrative practices and systems"

"JICA therefore continues to make Human Resource Development its utmost priority and would continue to partner the Government of Ghana to accelerate the development of its Human Resource in other to serve its people and to achieve economic growth" 

On her part, Principal, Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC), Dora Dei-Tumi said "The Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC), under the auspices of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service (OHCS) was established in 1953 to provide training for lower and middle level personnel in the Civil and Public Services"

She added that CSTC provides training to approximately 5,000 Civil Servants every year.

Madam Dei-Tumi also noted that the training received very positive feedback for its practicality and interactivity.

"The challenge arose during the COVID-19 Pandemic in terms of training delivery. It was a challenge to grapple with and that was when we had to look up to how we would reconsider and reconfigure our training because we could not rely a 100% on in-person training"

"That was a challenge and we informed our husbands, JICA that we needed to continue to discharge our mandate but we were not in the position to do what was expected so we needed their support to develop our online programmes and that was where they came in handy"

"Our husbands listened to us and we have had JICA develop our capacity on how to work on online training programmes"

She revealed that through the partnership, CSTS currently has a number of online programmes which have been developed following the interventions from JICA Ghana.

JICA Expert, Masashi Yamanaka said "There are ongoing efforts to develop courses for practicing Kaizen in the public sector. In February 2024, twelve officers from CSTC, along with JICA teams, visited the Kaizen Excellence Centre and the other institutions in Ethiopia to observe the practical application of Kaizen in Africa"

"Also in the offering is the opportunity to collaborate with other sister institutions within the sub-region through JICA's Third Country Training Programme (TCTP)"

He stressed that the programme, CSTC would host and delivery training to Civil Service Officers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

"The training modules would focus on Kaizen leadership for Continuous Service Delivery Improvement and project is currently awaiting approval"

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith