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Crime Reporter
There is need for line ministries to factor in issues such as devolution and decentralisation, retirement planning and succession planning in their management of human resources of Government, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has told top civil servants.
The PSC is conducting a two-day workshop in Darwendale with permanent secretaries, chief directors and directors to discuss the operational guidelines for human resource practice in the public service, and discuss duties, responsibilities and obligations of human resources practitioners in the public service.
In an interview, secretary to service commissions Dr Tsitsi Choruma said: “This workshop is all about the role of the commission in how it brings forth human resource practitioners who are competent and skilled enough to implement the work that is being set out.
“In fact, we are looking at the need for us to improve our performance as HR practitioners in terms of how we look at our functions in as much as they facilitate development.
“So as we implement NDS1, we want to ask ourselves the difficult questions. As practitioners, are we placing the right people in the right places? Is cognisance being taken of the competences and skills that we require in order to implement NDS1?”
Dr Choruma said the commission wanted to understand how human resources were being deployed at sub national levels.
“Have we been cognisance of the competences and skills that are required at those levels in order to complement the policy work that is happening at national level?” she said. “So, this meeting is a meeting we are having with heads of ministries and departments who are permanent secretaries, chief directors, human resources and directors of human resources.
“You know in our Constitution, the Public Service Commission has that responsibility to ensure that we deploy a competent public service. So, this conversation is to take stock and also to ask how have we been failing, what have been the challenges, how do we resolve these and strategise as one unit because some of these work has been delegated to ministries by the Public Service Commission.”
Dr Choruma said as key leaders in administering Zimbabwe, the top level of the civil service should be deliberate and intentional about how they managed the human capital of Zimbabwe.
“We gather here in the spirit of iron sharpening iron – of leaders sharpening leaders,” she said. “To put our heads together and ensure that we walk shoulder to shoulder within the spirit of the Whole of Government approach. When we move together, we achieve together.”
Dr Choruma said the commission wanted to strengthen collaboration, coordination and joint efforts in implementation and delivery.
“As provided for in the Constitution, and the rules and regulations, all human resources personnel should be directly accountable and answerable to the Public Service Commission on all human resources issues, though administratively they report through their permanent secretaries,” she said.
“As such, this workshop seeks to conscientise permanent secretaries, HR chief directors and directors on the relationship that should exist between the Public Service Commission and human resources personnel in line ministries.
“For the purpose of ensuring accountability of HR personnel, the Public Service Commission shall be responsible for the effective management and monitoring of performance and direction of HR personnel in the Public Service and the accounting officer, the head of a ministry shall, supervise the performance of the chief director and director for HR daily and cause them to uphold the basic values and principles enshrined in Section 194 and 196 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”
Dr Choruma said the PSC had come up with a circular that provided instructions for the management of human resources in the Public Service with the objective of fostering transparency, accountability and sound management of human resources.
The circular covers issues to do with human capital management and the symbiotic relationship that should exist between the Commission and human resources practitioners in line ministries.
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