Director-General of National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, has thrown a word of caution to public officers and individuals who arrive late to public functions to desist from that habit.
According to him, effective and efficient time management was important for the country’s development, and urged public servants to adhere strictly to deadlines to ensure progress.
Dr. Thompson gave the warning while addressing a media launch of the National Dialogue on Timekeeping in Accra on Tuesday, March, 01, 2016.
He stated that he was not happy with the practice of acknowledging invited dignitaries who arrive late to events, arguing that an invited dignitary worthy of acknowledgement must do well to arrive on time.
He said lateness to events had reached an intolerable level and requires some action to curtail it, adding that the attitude of lateness was a reflection of indiscipline on our part in terms of the structure and cultural aspect.
“No matter how much we try, we always show up late because we do not give a damn about time,” he said.
According to him, lateness to events has been the order of the day in Ghana, with some chiefs, traditional rulers, religious leaders, government officials and politicians being the most culprits.
“Our fondness for lateness reflects on our underdevelopment so if we need to develop as a nation and improve the standard of living of the people, we must take such things into consideration and make sure this forms part of our long-term planning development,” Dr. Thompson suggested.
He stressed the need to set good examples for generations to come to follow in the same footsteps and to value time wherever they find themselves.
He also called for institutional reforms to help manage “our time well so we don’t draw back as a nation in terms of development.”
“Time management needs to be our number one priority. If it is visible, it is possible,” he added.
