The High Street Journal, October 9, 2025
CUTS International, Accra, urges government agencies to overhaul poor customer service, citing inefficiency, bureaucracy, and weak responsiveness that erode public trust. It calls for a cultural reset prioritizing accountability, digital efficiency, and citizen-centered service delivery across Ghana’s public sector.
As workers of various companies are beaming with smiles and overly welcoming as part of the Customer Service Week, a leading research and public policy think tank, CUTS International, Accra, is urging the government to extend its reset agenda to how ministries, departments, and agencies treat their customers and clients.
The think tank says it’s time for a complete reset of how public institutions engage with citizens and businesses that seek their services.
In a statement released to mark the week, CUTS described the state of customer service in many public institutions as poor and unacceptable. It added that the persistent neglect of service quality is eroding trust, discouraging investment, and undermining productivity across the country.
“Customer service is not only about smiles and greetings, it is about responsiveness, efficiency, and accountability. Every citizen and business that engages a government agency is a customer, and they deserve the same level of respect and service quality expected from the private sector,” Appiah Kusi Adomako, the West Africa Director of CUTS International Accra remarked.
The statement reported that a recent survey by CUTS on customer service delivery revealed that public sector institutions perform worse compared to their private sector counterparts.
While private companies have embraced client satisfaction as a key part of business success, public agencies continue to be weighed down by long response times, a lack of feedback channels, and bureaucratic red tape.
Citizens and investors alike say these inefficiencies are not just frustrating; they are very costly. Delayed permits, unanswered calls, and poor responsiveness often translate into lost business opportunities, stalled projects, and a general sense of hopelessness when dealing with public offices.
Digital Reforms But Same Old Attitudes
Appiah Kusi Adomako noted that despite Ghana’s recent push toward digital transformation, including online portals for licenses, tax filing, and registrations, many public servants have not changed their approach to service.
He emphasized that technology alone cannot fix poor attitudes. The human interface, how staff respond to people’s needs, still matters. If public officials continue to see citizens as nuisances rather than customers, digital reforms will not deliver their full impact.
“While Ghana has made notable investments in public sector reforms and digital initiatives, these have not translated into improved customer experience,” parts of the statement read.
The Call for a Cultural Shift
CUTS is calling for a cultural shift in public service delivery, where customer satisfaction becomes a measurable performance indicator, not an afterthought. The consumer protection think tank recommends regular customer service training for government staff, transparent feedback systems, and strict accountability for poor service.
According to CUTS, improving public sector service delivery is not just about convenience; it’s about governance and national competitiveness.
Efficient public institutions, they argue, are critical to attracting investment, supporting entrepreneurship, and strengthening public trust.
Rebuilding Trust, One Interaction at a Time
The government is seeking to modernize its public sector. Amid the reforms, CUTS International maintains that citizens are not beggars seeking favors; they are clients deserving of efficiency, dignity, and respect.
As some experts say, the strength of any government lies in how it treats its people; hence, CUTS International maintains that when citizens are treated well in public offices, they believe in the system. However, when they are ignored, they give up on it.
Ghana’s dream of a modern, digital, citizen-centered government will remain elusive unless the public sector undergoes a genuine customer service reset.
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