Monrovia, Liberia – To strategically frame the process of defining performance targets for 2025, the Liberian government, through the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, has begun a high-level interaction with heads of public institutions. With a focus on cost-effectiveness and compliance, the program is in line with the Unity Party administration’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
In order to assess the 2024 Performance Management Compliance System (PMCS) cycle, institutional leaders convened in Monrovia on Monday, April 14, marking the official start of the engagement. Stakeholders reviewed the instruction gained and established specific, goal-oriented goals for 2025.
Director-General of the Cabinet Nathaniel Kwabo gave a summary of the project and described a three-phase process for defining targets for 2025: Strategic Alignment (April 4–11), Target Development (April 14–25), and Approval and Contracting (April 28–May 9).
According to Mr. Kwabo, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) reviewed institutional mandates and their compatibility with the AAID during Phase 1, In order to comply with pertinent policy areas, thirteen institutions that were not already receiving AAID interventions were identified and given guidance.
These institutions were provided instruments to design sector-aligned, institution-specific actions that will directly contribute to national growth, he added.
In Phase 2, institutions will define specified, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound (SMART) objectives, identify the resources and capabilities needed to accomplish them, and build action plans with built-in risk mitigation and monitoring frameworks.
Phase 3, will be devoted to final evaluations, PMCS team validation, senior management support, and the creation and execution of performance contracts, which will be approved by the president.
For increased accountability, DG Kwabo stressed the significance of addressing resource leaks, whether they are caused by fraud or waste, and putting remedies in place. Anti-fraud measures, compliance verification procedures, and systems audits are important deliverables that guarantee the efficient use of public funds.
According to him, the Cabinet Secretariat would offer technical advice, templates, references to SMART criteria, and sample indicators. He also mentioned that seminars and continuous assistance will be offered along the process.
Additionally, he emphasized how the PMCS technical working group helps to build a network for exchanging best practices, facilitate inter-institutional contact, and arrange progress meetings.
“This process is about setting clear deliverables and holding ourselves accountable, not about targeting individuals,” he added.
President Joseph Boakai is anticipated to reinforce the administration’s commitment to performance-driven government by rewarding high-performing officials based on achievements that can be plainly shown.
Kwabo noted that institutional performance will now be a determining factor in financial allocations. He emphasized that “you cannot ask for resources without providing value for the money.”
The Liberia Revenue Authority and the MFDP will collaborate closely with the government to guarantee that institutions have the funding they need to meet their goals.
The PMCS program was commended by Joseta Neufville-Wento, manager of the National Road Fund, who spoke at the interaction. She underlined its function in encouraging openness and guaranteeing responsibility among public servants.
Every institution has the chance to match its initiatives with national objectives through this approach, which also enables the public to evaluate government performance impartially and without political prejudice, she added.
Neufville-Wento said that the fund supplies the required funding, but the Ministry of Public Works handles the actual road construction. According to her, “we have put in place creative systems to guarantee prompt and efficient funding for service provision.”
She also suggested that in order to coordinate all government communications, the Office of the President work with the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism as well as the Liberia Broadcasting System.
According to her, this will help prevent false information and guarantee that government communications are understandable, accurate, and available to even the least educated residents.
Neufville-Wento urged the government to give technical capacity-building in all institutions top priority, stressing that institutional knowledge retention and avoiding recurrent training investments that yield no benefits are the keys to long-term effect.
