"We need an independent body to evaluate public projects"-- PM Awards Board

The Chairman of the Awarding Board for the Project Management (PM) Awards, Rev Moses Tetteh, has called for an independent body that would monitor and evaluate projects in the country.

This is to help curb the wastage in the public sector that arises as a result of abandoned projects.

“Virtually all the budget statement of government is about projects they plan to execute, therefore it is important for people to know if a particular project has superiority over another one in terms of benefit to the society and this can be done only when we have an independent body that monitors and evaluates projects,” he stated.

Rev Tetteh said this at the launch of the 2021 Project Management Awards.

He said project management worldwide was guided by six main principles which include; scope of project; time; cost; quality; risk assessment; and schedule.

He said these principles should therefore guide the independent body in its assessment of projects in the country.

Read; Government to complete all public projects - Mensah Bonsu

Standard framework

Rev Tetteh also pointed out that it was time for the country to also put in a place a standard framework that will guide project management.

He noted that countries like the UK had a methodology that guides their project whether in public or private sector and it was therefore time for Ghana to adopt its own framework as well.
 
“A large percentage of the country’s revenue is spent on projects so we need put in place a standard for project implementation and management from an independent perspective,” he stated.

He said countries who executed projects well are those who are making steady progress, and therefore, Ghana could not continue to allow that sector to be business as usual,

PM Awards

The PM Awards aims at recognizing individuals or organisations who pursue best practices in economic development through projects.

It also aims to award institutions that have attained the highest standards of professional conduct and competence within the project management space.

The Chairman of the Nominations Board, Dr Hod Anyigba, said the awards was also meant to ensure that players in the sector deliver excellence.

He said effective project management system delivers good returns on investment and maximizes use of resources.
 
He further indicated that this year’s awards which will be honouring individuals and organisations who have distinguished themselves in about 13 categories.

“It is important to appreciate and celebrate those Project Managers who navigated the arduous political influence and COVID-19 to execute excellent projects within time,” he said.