Monitoring, evaluation manual for state institutions
A Manual to assist state institutions assess the programmes and projects they implement has been launched by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).
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The national monitoring and evaluation manual provides the status of projects, outputs, impacts, as well as information on any potential challenge posed by a project.
Speaking at the launch of the manual, the Chairman of the NDPC, Dr Paul Victor Obeng, stated that the NDPC had been mandated by the Constitution to draft the short and long-term development plans of Ghana.
He noted that the NDPC, in consultation with other stakeholders, was committed to the drafting of relevant programmes to guide the government in its quest to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
According to Dr Obeng, the monitoring and evaluation manual would inform the government and all other levels of governance about the successes and challenges associated with certain implemented policies and projects.
He also said the manual provided a structured avenue to assess government projects and programmes.
Impact of projects
A Senior Policy Advisor to the President, Dr Sulley Gariba, said the manual was an essential instrument in the country’s development agenda, since it could determine whether the government had achieved its goals and objectives in all areas of the economy or not.
He also said the President was committed to ensuring that the various programmes of the government achieved their core objectives.
The manual, according to him, would enhance efficiency and ensure the effective coordination and evaluation of all government projects.
Strengthening institutions
A Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kweku Ricketts Hagan, said the government was committed to strengthening institutions of accountability to ensure the success of government policies.
According to him, the government had invested a lot of resources to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
He lauded the NDPC for its initiative and stated that the manual would ensure transparency in the allocation of resources.
Challenges of the current system
In her address, the Director-General of the NDPC, Dr Regina Adutwum, noted that the commission had, over the years, worked in collaboration with key stakeholders to establish a credible and comprehensive national monitoring and evaluation system for the country.
She said an assessment of the current national monitoring and evaluation system showed that there were persistent weaknesses in the system.
She, therefore, called for the provision of adequate financial resources and the requisite technical training to enhance the effective evaluation of government policies and projects.
“This will build the capacities of policy and decision makers to deepen their understanding of monitoring and evaluation,” Dr Adutwum said.