CUTS International raises alarm over poor public sector customer service

CUTS International, Accra, is urging government ministries, departments, and agencies to reset their approach to customer service to meet the evolving needs of citizens and businesses.

As the world observes Customer Service Week, the think tank notes that while private companies have improved client relations, many public institutions continue to lag far behind.

This, it warns, erodes public trust, discourages investment, and undermines national productivity.

A recent CUTS survey found that the public sector performed worst in customer service, with long delays, poor feedback systems, and excessive bureaucracy frustrating citizens and investors alike.

“Customer service is not just about smiles and greetings, it is about responsiveness, efficiency, and accountability,” said Mr. Appiah Kusi Adomako, West Africa Director of CUTS International, Accra.

“Every citizen and business that engages a government agency is a customer and deserves the same level of respect and service quality as in the private sector.”

Despite significant investments in public sector reforms and digital initiatives, Mr. Adomako argued that the experience for citizens has barely improved.

Telephone lines listed on most MMDA websites remain inactive, emails often go unanswered, and many agencies still demand hardcopy submissions and in-person follow-ups, undermining the government’s own digitalisation agenda.

He also criticised the informal practice of public officials requesting citizens to send official documents through personal email accounts such as Gmail or Yahoo, describing it as unprofessional and a threat to data security.

The lack of accessible channels for reporting issues such as faulty traffic lights or broken infrastructure, he added, reflects weak accountability and a culture of neglect.

“When citizens or investors cannot get timely responses from public agencies, they lose confidence in government institutions,” Mr. Adomako stressed.

“This affects tax compliance, service uptake, and even investment decisions. Good governance begins with good service delivery.”

CUTS International is therefore calling for a comprehensive Public Sector Service Reset that will reorient attitudes, strengthen systems, and enforce accountability around customer service excellence.

The organisation believes this reset must focus on building staff capacity, integrating technology to replace outdated paper-based processes, and establishing effective feedback mechanisms to ensure performance is monitored and standards are met.

According to Mr. Adomako, public service delivery is a contract between the state and its citizens.

Citizens are not subjects to be managed but customers whose taxes fund government operations.

Responsiveness to their needs, he argued, is not optional but a democratic duty.

CUTS is urging the President to take leadership by ensuring that service delivery becomes a central part of performance evaluations for Chief Directors and Heads of Agencies.