Commune and ward officials strive to fulfill their duties.

"Let's sit down together."

Ms. Truong Thi Minh Nhan, a civil servant in the Economic Department of Tan Mai Ward, along with 14 other staff members, experienced busy days during campaigns such as: "90 days of cleaning up land data" and "30 days and nights of transforming the model and methods of tax management for business households when abolishing lump-sum tax." In addition, civil servants had to complete all professional tasks related to budget, industrial economics, agriculture, trade, infrastructure construction, etc. With such a large workload, Ms. Nhan and her colleagues had to work overtime to meet the set deadlines.

Previously, Ms. Nhan had worked for many years in the former Hoang Mai town, holding positions in the Finance, Office, and Inspection departments. However, when she started working in the Economic Department of Tan Mai ward under the two-tiered government model, she encountered many difficulties with the new job, which encompassed many different areas.

“The staff in the Economic Department had to meticulously review and cross-check data for each relevant area when transitioning to the new government model, while also increasing their presence in residential areas to work with neighborhood and village officials to guide the implementation of new regulations. This was especially important for many areas directly related to the people. During this process, they had to update data and print receipts because many people were unfamiliar with digital transformation. The workload was sometimes overwhelming, but as civil servants, we had to strive to complete our tasks and meet the demands of our duties…” – Ms. Truong Thi Minh Nhan shared.

Mr. Ho Tu Minh has worked in accounting for over 25 years in various localities. Before becoming an accountant at the Economic Department of Tan Mai Ward, he spent many years as an accountant at the Finance Department of Hoang Mai Town. At that time, he was responsible for managing funds related to education, investment attraction, and public assets. However, upon joining the ward, he had to take on additional responsibilities, including accounting for investment, the public administrative center, the committee office, and many other areas.

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"Even though we have accounting experience, the workload is overwhelming, sometimes I feel too much pressure. To complete the tasks, the Economic Department of Tan Mai Ward has to strengthen teamwork, exchange information, and support each other to gradually accomplish the mission."

Mr. Ho Tu Minh is an officer in the Economic Department of Tan Mai Ward.

Civil servants in Tan Mai ward, as well as many other wards and communes, affirm that working in the local government under a two-tiered system requires a great deal of group consultation, sharing experiences in each area, and cross-checking in many areas to ensure accuracy. Mr. Ho Tu Minh – Accountant in the Economic Department of Tan Mai ward – affirmed: “Even with extensive work experience, the new government model requires me to work in a team; I cannot confidently work alone. It is mandatory for colleagues to sit together, learning and working simultaneously to meet the required deadlines.”

Enhance sharing

The new commune and ward authorities must both ensure the continued operation of the commune level as before and handle 90 out of 99 tasks previously assigned to the district level after its abolition. “The handling of affairs for citizens and businesses must adapt to the new model; we cannot simply retain the methods of the old commune or district levels. Therefore, it demands a great deal of effort and responsibility from the new commune and ward officials and civil servants. In this context, local leaders must have a firm grasp of the procedures and tasks, and promptly share and encourage civil servants to handle their duties smoothly,” said Comrade Dam Huu Hong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tan Mai Ward.

According to Comrade Dam Huu Hong, the Party Committee and the government of Tan Mai ward unanimously agreed to assign responsibilities to comrades who are professionally competent and have extensive experience in various fields, and to strengthen exchanges and guidance for colleagues to effectively carry out tasks in the initial phase. In some cases, it is necessary to mobilize experienced officials and civil servants from the Party Committee's departments to participate in resolving the government's professional work. Only then will it truly mean "the entire political system is involved in resolving the tasks at hand."

In the initial phase of the transition to a two-tiered local government system, a "run-and-queue" approach was necessary. Local authorities had to simultaneously arrange suitable job positions, conduct a comprehensive review of all sectors, and effectively address administrative procedures for citizens and businesses. Many challenges arose for the commune and ward levels. In this context, the Party committees and governments of communes and wards have demonstrated a proactive, decisive, and flexible spirit in carrying out their tasks.

Implementing a two-tiered local government system, in addition to training courses organized by the province and central government, many communes and wards have proactively implemented solutions to utilize core personnel with solid professional skills within their units to support their colleagues through a "hands-on" approach, ensuring the successful completion of assigned tasks. Accordingly, work procedures are gradually streamlined, contributing to better service for citizens and businesses, and promoting socio-economic development in each locality.