The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) and key stakeholders, from 15-16 March, 2022 converged for the Mini Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) of the World Bank (WB) projects, at Tamala Conference Hall in Kololi
The two days review, funded by development partners, including World Bank, offered them the opportunity to discuss the achievements and important issues confronting the implementation of the projects; and to gauge the financial prudence and the effective and efficient utilization of aid resources and daunting challenges encountered by the PIUs (Project Implementation Units) during the implementation of the respective projects.
Minister Mambury Njie in his opening statement, pointed out that MoFEA, through the Aid Coordination Directorate, has conducted several Country Portfolio Performance Reviews (CPPRs) for all donor funded projects in the country.
“The purpose of these CPPRs is geared towards helping us to be informed about: the achievements of the PIUs during the implementation of their various projects, Challenges that they face during the implementations and the way forward to solving the issues.
“This would help us at the highest level to make decision on issues inhibiting the implementation processes for example, issues relating to disbursements delays, procurement processes and procedures and so on,” the Finance and Economic Affairs Minister added.
He informed the audience the CPPR is organized only for projects funded by World Bank; and during that review session, issues affecting project and portfolio implementations and performance respectively were expected to be presented by the project coordinators after which possible solutions / recommendations would be put forward as redresses to the setbacks such as policy, social, strategic, and operational issues that impinges on the implementation of the said projects.
Among the series of issues highlighted during the forum were: Weak Financial management System; accountability in procurement and Quality of procurement documents; unavailability of real-time financial information; the monitoring of the project directors/coordinators to curtail under performance; under-utilisation of the IFMIS during project coordinators ; inadequate accounts clerks in the rural facilities; projects not factoring nutritional aspects in their project; and procurement and disbursement delays.
“It will interest to note that these issues are multifaceted, such as policy, social, strategic, and operational, and to resolve them need concerted and collaborative efforts with high-level involvement in decision-making”, Finance Minister Njie stated.
He also reminded the participants that the Gambia Strategy Review Board (GSRB) was approved by the Cabinet in 2018.
“The Directorate of Aid Coordination under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, is mandated by the Gambia Aid Policy and the GSRB to do a preliminary review of all project proposals, before sending it to the GSRB for final review, appraisal and endorsement of all development project proposals, consistent with the National Development Plan for possible financing in the country”, he stated. He, therefore, charged that all projects ranging from their conceptualization stage must be communicated to the ACD to assess their alignment with the NDP priorities.
Minister Njie, who said he’s always passionate to see that CPPR is conducted for all donor funded projects quarterly, also remarked: “This, I humbly believe, will allow adapting common understanding and approach in resolving bottlenecks regarding project implementation challenges as some may require critical policy and strategy shift to eradicate the problems.”
