The features of the civil service include political neutrality, anonymity, permanency, bureaucracy, expertise, meritocracy, and hierarchy or classism.
As an important institution of government, the Civil Service performs the task of helping politicians in the Executive arm of government to draw and implement their policies.
Civil Servants are mostly professionals in their field of work. The features of the Civil Service make it possible for them to carry out their functions.
Here are the main features of the Civil Service in Ghana and other countries.
- permanency
- neutrality
- anonymity
- impartiality
- bureaucracy
- expertise
- meritocracy
- hierarchy
Let’s now explain each of the above characteristics of the Civil Service.
1. Permanency
This feature of the Civil Service means that every civil servant enjoys the security of tenure. In other words, a civil servant cannot be dismissed for reasons other than those stated in the law.
The permanency feature of the civil service is necessary to avoid arbitrary termination of appointments by vengeful politicians in particular.
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2. Political Neutrality
Another important feature of the Civil Service is political neutrality. This simply means that civil servants need to rise above partisan politics. Civil servants must not identify themselves openly with any political party.
3. Anonimity
The primary duty of every civil servant is to work to serve the government of the day. Unlike members of the political branch of the Executive, civil servants work behind the scenes and allow the politicians to make themselves known and heard.
4. Impartiality
In their dealings with the public, civil servants have to eschew favouritism and nepotism. These are trained professionals who work to promote the national interest. So they must treat each person they deal with equally.
5. Bureaucracy
Strict adherence to rules and procedures is one of the most important characteristics of the Civil Service. The procedures that guide the work of civil servants are meant to ensure professionalism and efficiency.
6. Expertise
The Civil Service prides itself on the high calibre of its personnel. Civil servants are mostly professionals and experts in their fields of work.
Examples of experts that work in the Civil Service are agronomists, cyber-security professionals, experienced artisans, educationists, well-trained economists and highly-qualified medical researchers.
7. Meritocracy
Recruitment of personnel to the Civil Service is carried out in a manner that ensures that only qualified individuals are employed.
The recruitment exams and interviews are highly competitive. The need to employ staff based on merit is crucial because civil servants occupy very sensitive sectors in the administration of the country.
8. Hierarchy or Classism
The last among the features of the civil service is the hierarchical arrangement of its workers according to their level of seniority.
Officials of the Civil Service have their individual ranks. At the apex of the Civil Service in Ghana, for example, is the sector minister who is the political head.
We also have the Head of the Civil Service who is responsible for managing the affairs of all civil servants.
The other personnel in the Civil Service are arranged in a systematic order. There are both senior officers and junior staff.
Additionally, the Civil Service staff is divided into classes. Below is the classification of the Civil Service staff.
I have also added the functions of the various classes in the Civil Service.
- Administrative Class – mostly university graduates who advise the sector minister
- Professional Class – Engineers, doctors, architects etc.
- Executive Class – They assist the government to implement policies.
- Clerical Class – Stenographers and typists. They service government machinery.
- Manipulative Class/Auxiliary Class – Manual labourers and artisans such as security men, carpenters, drivers, cleaners and messengers.
Both the level of academic qualification and type of profession determine one’s class in the Civil Service.
Final thoughts
The Civil Service is a key topic in the Senior High School and WAEC Government syllabus. So make sure you don’t miss out when I publish other tutorials on the Civil Service in particular and Public Administration in general.
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You can also learn more about all the topics in the other General Arts syllabuses here.
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