Framework to track progress of govt programmes in the offing

The government has drafted a legal framework document to track the implementation of government priority programmes to facilitate impactful and results-driven implementation.

Known as the “Government results framework for priority programmes,” it is expected to strengthen and institutionalise the national monitoring and evaluation system for better results from 2018 to 2020.

The draft framework, which has been approved and modified by Cabinet, if finalised and adopted, is also expected to address gaps identified in the current monitoring and evaluation system for the implementation of government priority programmes.

The gaps include the lack of real-time monitoring of government programmes, the lack of government leadership in the monitoring and evaluation process and the lack of policy guidelines for the implementation of government projects.

Timely information

Furthermore, the framework will provide timely information to the government to facilitate any necessary alterations and in programme implementations to ensure the achievement of the projected outcomes within the given timelines.

The drafting was led by the Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation and involved all ministries.

The initiative is in response to a directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a ministerial retreat aimed at ensuring that all expectations of government projects are met without compromise.

Validation workshop

At the opening ceremony of a workshop to validate the approved draft document in Accra on Thursday, the Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, expressed gratitude to all sector ministers for their inputs and for owning the process which had facilitated the progress made so far.

He underscored the need for the legal framework to help boost the delivery of impactful, sustainable and value-for-money development projects in a timely manner through real-time monitoring.

According to him, the absence of such a framework resulted in gaps in the implementation of some government programmes reported in the 2017 Rapid Assessment Report.

Dr Osei said the ministry was working on the development of a digital dashboard to facilitate the sharing of information with all stakeholders with a click of a computer button for efficiency.

Support

The Head of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Mr Agyekum Dwamena, said his office would support the initiative to enhance sustainable development.

The Special Advisor and Head of Government Results Delivery, Nana Serwaa Bonsu Amoako, indicated that in the past, evaluation had been led by development partners but the current framework would put the government in the lead role in the evaluation of its programme delivery to enhance the process.

She said the framework would also institutionalise monitoring and evaluation  to make it more efficient and impactful.