Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah, has called on the civil service to embrace innovation and flexible thinking as the country moves towards a 24-Hour Economy. According to him, the demands of the new agenda require a shift from outdated routines to modern, data-driven governance.
Addressing stakeholders at the national Strategic Integration Workshop for the 24-Hour Economy, Mr Debrah said the civil service must become a hub of reform and innovation.
“A 24-hour economy requires regulatory frameworks that are dynamic, data-driven, and forward-looking,” he said.
He urged civil servants to be proactive, not reactive. “This calls for a mindset shift: from gatekeeping to facilitation; from rigid adherence to outdated practices to adaptive problem-solving.”
The Chief of Staff noted that this is not just about policy coordination but about rethinking how services are delivered to the public. “The 24H+ agenda is people centred. It promises citizens expanded opportunities through jobs, business facilitation, or improved public services available beyond traditional hours.”
He emphasised that even government itself must adapt by updating systems, adopting technology, and introducing new work schedules to support non-traditional hours.
“As we ask the private sector to commit, the civil service too must adapt. This places an obligation on the service to embrace new attitudes: efficiency, responsiveness, accountability, and a willingness to adopt technology and flexible working arrangements,” he said.
Mr Debrah urged public officers to drop silo thinking and work together, warning that disjointed efforts will undermine the reforms. “Without integration and collaboration, we risk fragmenting the policy.”
He cited examples from countries like Singapore and South Korea, where long-term reforms succeeded because of consistent civil service performance.
