Salary increases and the creation of new positions are among the reforms introduced in the administrative cell structure to improve staff welfare and speed up service delivery to citizens, according to the Ministry of Local Government.

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The number of staff at each cell has increased from two to three. They are the Executive Secretary (ES), a newly introduced Human Capital and Social Development Officer (HCSD), and an officer whose previous title, Social Economic Development Officer (SEDO), has been changed to Economic Development Officer, or Urban Economic Development Officer in cities.

Recruitment and appointments for the cell-level positions are ongoing in districts. The Ministry of Labour has announced 2,274 vacancies across the three positions: 586 Cell Executive Secretaries, 931 Economic Development Officers and 757 Human Capital and Social Development Officers.

The New Times looks at the duties and responsibilities of the restructured cell-level positions, as explained by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour.

Human Capital and Social Development Officer

The Human Capital and Social Development Officer, graded at Level 9.II, is responsible for monitoring the implementation of interventions related to social programmes that respond to citizens’ needs.

These include social interventions aimed at preventing and reducing malnutrition and stunting within the cell, as well as activities targeting youth, women and people with disabilities.

The officer also monitors the implementation of sports, innovation and talent identification activities.

In education, the officer monitors interventions related to education, adult literacy and school feeding.

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They pay particular attention to the cell's performance on key education indicators, such as dropout, enrolment, attendance, teen mothers and the participation of parents in school activities.

The officer also monitors interventions aimed at eradicating delinquency in the cell.

On health and early childhood, the officer monitors interventions related to health, hygiene and sanitation.

They also monitor and support the implementation of Early Childhood Development (ECD) interventions within the cell.

The role includes a strong data and reporting component.

The officer collects and consolidates quality data on specific social, health and education programmes, and prepares reports using appropriate reporting mechanisms and information management systems.

In terms of community engagement and planning, the officer conducts community mobilisation campaigns on social affairs, education, health, child rights and nutrition at cell level.

They assist in identifying eligible beneficiaries using social protection programme tools and community registers to ensure sustainable graduation.

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They also support the implementation of district-level plans, such as the District Development Strategies (DDS) and Annual Action Plans, related to social and human capital development within the cell.

Qualifications include bachelor's degrees, advanced diplomas and A1.

Economic Development Officer

The Economic Development Officer is responsible for implementing interventions related to agriculture and natural resources, human settlement, infrastructure, disaster management and economic activities at cell level.

The officer collects and reports basic economic data relating to the cell’s economic potential and monitors the functionality of cooperatives and savings groups.

The officer promotes entrepreneurship among youth, women and vulnerable groups at cell level.

The officer also monitors and supports local economic actors, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private-sector operators and cooperatives, to improve productivity and market access.

In addition, the officer monitors the activities of voluntary groups and other stakeholders involved in economic activities.

The officer coordinates and monitors community mobilisation campaigns focusing on business development and tax collection.

The officer also monitors the implementation of district development plans, including the District Development Strategy (DDS) and Annual Action Plans, at cell level.

The officer monitors the implementation of disaster prevention and recovery activities within the cell.

The officer is also responsible for monitoring environmental conservation and forest protection activities within the cell.

Furthermore, the officer monitors the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) and infrastructure development projects at cell level. The officer also performs any other duties assigned by their supervisor.

Accepted qualifications include bachelor's degrees, advanced diplomas, certain A1/A0 qualifications and an A2 qualification in any field.

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Cell Executive Secretary

The Cell Executive Secretary position is graded at Level 8.II and falls under the Statute. The person appointed is responsible for coordinating and carrying out the day-to-day duties of cell administration.

A central part of the role is ensuring the safety and security of citizens at cell level, including coordinating community policing activities within the cell.

The Executive Secretary also drives local progress by coordinating development and innovation activities and mobilising citizens to participate in government programmes.

In addition, the officer coordinates revenue generation activities and oversees and monitors the work of the Land Committee at cell level.

The officer supports the proper use of land in accordance with the District Master Plan or applicable physical plans, and helps prevent and eliminate illegal land use and unauthorised construction within the cell.

The role carries significant administrative and record-keeping responsibilities. The officer serves as the civil registrar and provides civil registration services to residents.

The Executive Secretary maintains all cell documents and serves as rapporteur at meetings of the Cell Consultative Committee on Development.

The officer also ensures the proper management of government property within the cell and coordinates the collection of basic statistical data on the state of the cell for submission to the Sector Executive Secretary.

Regarding planning and reporting, the officer coordinates planning and reporting activities at cell level and ensures that all reports requested from the cell administration are submitted on time.

The officer also ensures effective coordination and reporting on the performance of cell-level stakeholders, including volunteer groups, NGOs, faith-based organisations (FBOs) and other partners.

In addition, the officer coordinates the implementation of activities approved by the relevant higher authorities.