CM bans transfers and postings by local councils

To improve transparency, working and efficiency of local government councils in the province, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to impose a ban on the transfers/postings of council employees and new hiring by local councils with immediate effect.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held at CM House on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Minister for Planning & Development Nasir Hussain Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Khalid Hyder Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and others.

The CM said no employee of one local council could be transferred to another council; therefore, the details of the transfers/postings of local council employees during the last five years may be provided to him within 15 days. “I would assess and inspect the number of employees who have been appointed properly,” he said.

Shah also imposed a complete ban on new hiring by councils. The local councils should outsource their basic municipal functions if they are short of staff,” he decided. He directed Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani to implement the SAP system for the payment of salaries to local government employees at all the union councils, town and municipal committees, district councils and municipal and metropolitan corporations. “The local government department has developed an SAP system and I want you [Minister Ghani] to implement it and stop the salaries being paid to ghost employees, if any,” he said.

To a question, Ghani told the CM that there were 1,889 local bodies, including one Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) five district municipal corporations, 45 town municipal corporations, 22 district councils, 36 municipal committees, 142 town committeed, 1,638 union councils. Shah directed Ghani to protect the salaries of the employees so that they could be paid when they remained without posting.

The CM directed Ghani to take drastic measures to improve efficiency, and effectiveness at the local councils so that public problems relating to municipal issues could be resolved at their doorsteps.

The CM and the LG minister agreed to introduce reforms in the local government board and develop a transparent system for transfers and postings and promotions of local bodies’ employees.

Shah said that during his meetings with local bodies representatives at the divisional headquarters, a demand for a raise in the local bodies budget was made. He directed Ghani to submit proposals for a raise in the local bodies budget/grants so that the proposal could be included in the budget for next financial year. The CM also directed the minister to send him a proposal for the constitution of the Provincial Finance Commission.