The Liberian government through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund over the weekend climaxes four days’ participatory capacity-building training in what is termed as ‘’ Result Based Planning Monitoring and Evaluation workshop in Gomba city, Nimba County.
The workshop was held under the theme: Strengthening Sub-National Staff and officials’ capacities for development effectiveness and efficiency that is aligned with the National Development Plan of Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
The objective is to increase and strengthen the knowledge and skills of sub-national staff and county officials in contemporary results-based monitoring and reporting to improve the quality of their reports on outcomes of the County Development Agenda.
On the overall, it is expected that participants will acquire fundamental knowledge to comfortably discuss Results-Based monitoring and evaluation terminologies- by developing implementation strategies and plans at the sub-national level.
Furthermore, the PAPD Results Framework interpretation and data flow arrangement including description of various data collection techniques and the associated data quality issues are also part of topics being taught at the training.
Making remarks at the closing session, the Assistant Minister for Development Planning, Benedict Kolubah says superintendents and county officers should decentralize knowledge sharing for national growth and development.
He made the disclosure at the end of a four days’ result based planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting training.
According to him, MACs were also trained across Maryland, Rivergee, Grand Kru and Grand Gedeh Counties last year as a pilot project for counties to do results base planning and look beyond the national budget.
However,” if we train and capacity county officers, they will be able to support various county offices for the development of projects and implementation of projects and programs.”
He noted that the county development office needs to identify the needs of the people and market those projects both national and international.
‘’ County development office by itself needs to identify the needs of the people and market those projects both national and international ‘’ he added.
When the need of the people and projects for national development is seen, impact will be seen in their respective places. It is your responsibility as superintendent to do and is also our responsibility to build your capacity.
Going forward, the national development plan will be built on the county perspective and begin to engage county officers to develop programs and come up with ideas.
The four days’ training was attended by UNICEF Representative, Superintendents, County officers, from Margibi Bong Lofa and Nimba County as well as senior staff from the Ministry of Finance Development Planning (MFDP).