SECRETARY, MR. JERRY UBASE

 I am delighted to introduce the Department for Community Development and Religion's five-year Corporate Plan (2023- 2027) with the theme ‘Going Rural - Building an equitable knowledgeable and Productive Families for a sustainable future’ The Corporate Plan sets forth two main goals for the Department. 

Firstly, we aim to review and develop legislations, policies, programs that address socio-economic challenges for the vulnerable and marginalized segments of our society, including children, women, elderly and persons with disabilities focusing primarily on families. Secondly, we are dedicated to delivering cross cutting and sectoral policies, programs, and services directly to communities at the district and ward levels. Our primary focus is to reach and positively impact wards and communities in the districts through our flagship program in establishing District Community Development Centres (DCDC) and revitalizing every Community Learning and Development Centres (CLDC) in each ward. 

Aligned with our vision of "Building equitable, knowledgeable, and productive families for a sustainable future," the Corporate Plan outlines five broad strategic objectives. These objectives reflect the core functions and responsibilities of our newly structured department and core programs and services we intend to deliver for the next five years. Our organizational restructure is a strategic process that enables community development officers to be present at the district and ward levels; facilitating direct delivery of services to our people working through existing administrative and governance structures at the subnational levels.

 This approach aligns with the Government's objective of decentralization and service delivery including the DPM's Public Service directive for human resource allocation with 10% at the National level, 20% at the Provincial level, and 70% at the District and Ward levels. I commend my Minister and the Minister for Public Service and the Secretary for the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) all Departmental Heads have Key Result Areas to be assessed through a Performance Management System. DFCDR has diligently aligned its Corporate Plan (2023-2027) with the five thematic areas enabling effective monitoring, assessment, and appropriate recognition of employees' performance. 

I want to thank our Policy and Program Development Division for ensuring Department has a five-year strategic plan to guide programs and activities moving forward. To effectively serve our communities, I call for strategic partnership, strong leadership and appropriate resourcing of all government service delivery functions at the sub-national levels. All development partners, churches and Civil society organizations working in the community development space; I welcome you all to partner with the Department in implementing this plan for integrated and inclusive development outcome. 

Secretary

Mr. Jerry UBASE, MBA