Outgoing Country Director Moses Cofie, Shares His Reflections on Four Years Leading EPL Ghana.
Since its launch in 2018, Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) Ghana has recruited and trained four cohorts of Fellows and set them on a path to effect change in the public sector and beyond.
Outgoing Country Director Moses Cofie shares his favourite moments and lessons learned over the four years:
What has been your favourite moment leading the program?
There have been lots of great moments. I thrive on challenges, so setting up the program was exciting for me…as challenges came up, finding solutions to the problems was exciting for me. Ensuring this program worked was a challenge, but that was certainly a high for me.
Our program is unique because it needs to be done in partnership with the government. We needed to make it work, though the government wheel (the civil service) moves slowly by nature. For the program to run smoothly as planned, we needed to work in tandem with the government…our desired outcomes had to be adjusted based on the pace the government works at. It became a question of EPL Ghana appreciating how things worked in the civil service. You needed to build rapport and establish relationships, and we are very thankful to have had a champion in the Head of Civil Service, Nana Agyekum Dwamena…I saw it as an essential thing that needed to be overcome, and it has been a largely rewarding partnership.
What excited you the most about serving as country director?
I believe in small beginnings. Starting something new and getting it off the ground was exciting. Setting up EPL Ghana and getting it running got my adrenaline pumping…no matter the challenges. I have not regretted one bit about the many challenges that the journey encountered; and today, looking at the 4 cohorts that the program currently boasts of, I am proud of what we have achieved.
What are you most proud of?
One thing stands out for me. When COVID hit, we were in the second year of the program and we had just started the Cohort 3 recruitment process, and then there was a national shutdown, first a complete stay-at-home order, and thereafter limited human interaction. EPL Global asked what we were going to do. We told them we would maintain the activity calendar as it is. We would go ahead and recruit for the year! With no template for such an unforeseen pandemic, we sat down, applied our minds to the situation on the ground and designed a process that we thought would be workable. We then put mechanisms in place to troubleshoot the process.
After four months of strenuous work that was undertaken by my dedicated team members remotely from their homes, it was exciting to look back and see what we were able to achieve. I am grateful the team believed it was a doable venture and allowed themselves to be guided. Looking at the calibre of Fellows we recruited was incredible. Training and orientation for them lasted two weeks and was completely virtual. Fellows remained focused and excited throughout the orientation, with their laptop cameras on (we insisted on that) and it worked out perfectly. Pulling through a full recruitment process when COVID was at its peak, I look back at it with great pride.
What surprised you the most while serving as CD of EPL Ghana?
I don’t easily get surprised. I like to envisage what can go wrong in any endeavour. I am quite detail oriented, and I value excellence. I always ask myself, “What if?” What may be EPL Global’s concerns about accounting, or about Fellows’ welfare or some other program essential? I like to anticipate what will be asked or what is desired.
The attrition was a bit surprising and quite demoralizing; but then it is what it is.
After our Cohort 1 graduation, another phase of the program starred us in the face, post Fellowship management. We had focused so much on getting the program running smoothly, we hadn’t not given much attention to ensuring they stayed on beyond the 2-year fellowship. This has now become critical, how to ensure Fellows stay for the long haul, or else the EPL mission may not be achieved. That would have to be a focus area for Juliet, the new country director.
What advice would you give to Fellows and alumni?
Over the years, I have come to value the effectiveness of giving young people the space to be themselves, show belief in them and let them do the work. The fellowship provides opportunities for smart young graduates, and they are expected to leverage that to make a great impact in government business. My advice to Fellows is that this program gives them an opportunity that many young people don’t have, and so they must milk it. Anytime we have talked about this program, people wished they had had such an opportunity when they were younger. If only they would appreciate the opportunity and make the most of it; the terrain may be tough but brave the storm, take advantage of what you can learn and you have no idea how far you are going to go.
What excites you most about the future of the Ghana program?
The Fellowship program is a unique one. It presents smart, young people in the public sector to contribute to improving service delivery and implementation of policies. We cannot do without the government; the needs of citizens and the private sector (passports, licenses, setting up a business, etc) all depend on the government. There are many policies that aren’t working, the implementation comes with challenging obstacles. This program allows young people the opportunity to be a part of the solution.
What’s your message to the new Country Director?
Those are two things: 1) Office of the Head of Civil Service is a partner and 2) Pay an ear to Fellows.
It’s important to understand the workings of the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS)and develop a strong relationship with them, as we cannot do without them. We cannot bypass them. It’s not about how slow they are; it’s about finding how to appreciate their situation and work together. There is certainly buy-in for the program by them; don’t see what they say as being against the program. They are just sharing their reality.
Secondly, we must find ways of listening more to Fellows. As often as you can, find opportunities and create them to keep Fellows close. How long they stay in the program to fulfill the dream often depends on the kind of influence the management team has on them. Keeping them engaged is key so they don’t jump ship. They usually want to be together.
What would you like to share with staff?
It’s been great working with the team. My approach working with the team was to believe in them and value their contributions; that enabled us to find creative solutions to the challenges we faced. I would like to encourage each team member to be themselves and let their voice be heard. In working with many Ghana organizations, people prefer not to speak up but rather whisper in the background. Let your views be known, your voice has power, don’t allow yourself to be shut down, share your opinion respectfully. I have found a gem in every team member, keep using those gems and contributing positively.
Moses Quotes (from 6/16 Family Meeting)
“I love people and I believe in people.”
“Whenever we hear stories about the value your supervisors find in you, you make my day.” “Whenever there are difficulties, they trigger me into problem-solving mode.”
“There are moments that I will remember forever. Your future is going to be bright, and it gives me a lot of confidence. I have no doubt in my mind that you guys are going to be different, and that gladdens my heart. That is because my personal mission is to help people climb up their ladders, and I have been privileged to be part of your journeys; it inspires me!
“What’s next for me? I am passionate about youth and leadership, so anything that allows me to do that I am attracted to, and my passions haven’t changed.”
