Monitoring and Evaluation Training Programme Opens in Accra

A two week training programme on monitoring and evaluation is underway in Accra.

The programme dubbed “Harmattan School” is hosted by Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in collaboration with the Centres for Learning on Evaluation and Results, Anglophone Africa (CLEAR AA), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The programme seeks to shape the skills and knowledge of professionals in results-based monitoring and evaluation.

Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation, said government created the new Ministry to oversee the implementation and delivery of government policies and programmes and results derived from real time monitoring.

He said the training would therefore bring to authorities’ attention, the implementation process to remove obstacles that prevented efficient delivery of government programmes and results.

He noted that his membership with the Economic Management Team chaired by the Vice President Bawumia, as well as the Cabinet, clearly showed the importance the government attached to performance monitoring, evidence-based decision making, oversight and accountability.

“With your support as professionals, we intend to prepare regular implementation and performance reports and submit them to the President and the Cabinet as inputs to key policies and programmes,” he added.

Dr Osei said the Ministry was determined to influence government’s decision-making processes, derived from best practices and depart from the ‘business as usual’ approach that has, in the past, characterised public sector management in the country.

“We believe in collaborative learning and adapting and very much look forward to working with all of you to institutionalise results-based management and evaluative thinking in the management of public resources”.

Mrs Candice Morkel, Senior Technical Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at CLEAR AA, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, said building the capacity of the state to design, develop, manage and implement national systems was at the centre of CLEAR’s work.

 She called for continuous partnership with African Universities to drive the agenda to develop strategic synergies to build a robust and sustainable monitoring and evaluation systems on the continent.

Professor Philip Bondzi-Simpson, the Rector of GIMPA, urged participants to take advantage of the programme to learn from each other and develop networks to improve on service delivery.

Source: GNA