Ho Chi Minh City leader urges more effective 2-tiered administration, citizen-centered governance

Implementing directives from the Standing Board of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, following conclusions by municipal Party secretary Tran Luu Quang at a recent conference to review the two-tiered local government model, the city chairman instructed heads of departments, agencies, wards, communes, and special zones to carry out key tasks.

He emphasized the need to strengthen consensus, renew governance thinking, and reform leadership and management methods.

The two-tiered local government model was reaffirmed as a sound policy, consistent with the requirements of streamlining the administrative apparatus toward greater efficiency.

Authorities were asked to continue reviewing and assessing the actual performance of the new model, addressing the issue of overly general reporting that does not fully reflect local realities.

He also called for a shift from administrative management thinking to development-oriented governance, placing citizens and businesses at the center, moving from a 'request–approval' mechanism to one of autonomy and accountability, and strengthening power control while emphasizing the responsibility of leaders.

The chairman urged officials and civil servants to overcome hesitation in implementing administrative restructuring and to enhance their sense of responsibility and public service awareness.

He ordered a review and reorganization of personnel to match job requirements and local conditions, including the reassignment and rotation of staff between units with uneven workloads to improve efficiency.

Personnel evaluation must be substantive, objective, and transparent.

The Department of Home Affairs was assigned to lead coordination with relevant agencies to complete organizational restructuring and staffing arrangements in line with new requirements, while encouraging competitive recruitment, assessments, and the attraction of high-quality personnel.

He also called for continued reduction of unnecessary administrative procedures and stronger use of shared data systems.

Better coordination is needed to quickly resolve issues between departments, wards, and communes.

Training and capacity-building for grassroots officials should be strengthened, with emphasis on practical skills and digital transformation.

Special attention should be given to training commune-level leaders, including research into mechanisms for regular knowledge updates and exchange experience between wards and communes.

The Department of Home Affairs was also tasked with proposing staffing allocation plans and resource distribution suited to local realities, avoiding equal distribution regardless of actual needs.

It was also instructed to propose policies for officials, civil servants, and public employees affected by organizational restructuring.

The city chairman urged effective resolution of outstanding issues related to land management, complaints and denunciations, social policies, and other public concerns, ensuring that no prolonged or complicated issues emerge.

He also called for improved service quality for citizens and businesses, using public satisfaction as a key indicator in evaluating the effectiveness of the two-tiered local government model.

He encouraged the effective use of special mechanisms and policies permitted by the central government, and proactive exploitation of advanced mechanisms to create momentum for the city’s development in the new period.

Ho Chi Minh City began applying the two-tiered local government model from July 1, 2025 following a pilot period from June 12 to 30 last year.

The two-tiered system includes the provincial level—which encompasses provinces and centrally-run cities—and the grassroots level, which consists of communes and wards.

This reorganization dissolved district-level administrations and rearrange and merge existing administrative units.