ALGAF Presentation on Monitoring and Evaluation in Participatory Governance

ALGAF VII Session III was held on the 30^th of March 2007 and the presentation was made by Hon. Kwamena Ahwoi a senior lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and public Administration and former Minister of Local Government in Ghana. The topic for the session was “Monitoring and Evaluation in Participatory Governance”.

The paper by Hon. Ahwoi analyzed monitoring and evaluation in a decentralized environment. It was stated at the outset that the best framework for monitoring and evaluation to take place is the one in which there will be decentralization – participation and development. Under this scenario, three complementary activities will be monitored. These are:

a)   To monitor if the transferred functions are being effectively performed;

b)   To monitor if there are competent and skilled officials present at the local level to perform the functions;

c)   To monitor the budgetary allocations for the performance of the transferred functions.

It came out clearly in the presentation that although decentralization is good it does not reduce the problem of public administration. This was echoed by one participant who mentioned that Uganda has been decentralizing for years but not much progress has been made as public administration is not very admirable. Corruption was mentioned as one of the key factors which makes monitoring and evaluation of transferred functions difficult. Corruption is rife in the local authorities tendering system where those who pay bribes get the contracts to work on development projects but at the end fail to meet the required standards. Participants emphasized the need to curb corruption at the local government level especially in the tendering system. The presenter mentioned that although this can be achieved it is difficult to reduce corruption in the tendering system because tendering procedures are very competitive and the citizens, most whom are poor find it difficult to compete in the process. This therefore raises the need to empower the citizens so that they can also take part in the development process. This can be done through providing loans. It was also stated that corruption should be stopped at the central government level and new checks and balances should be designed at the local level.

The presenter mentioned that the monitoring of the budgetary allocations for the performance of the transferred functions is very difficult. One key problem faced by local authorities is that the transferred functions are in most cases not accompanied by adequate financial resources. Citizens also lack the capacity to monitor the budgetary allocations. In cases where there is capacity there is lack of information on the available financial resources making it difficult to monitor the budgetary allocations. In this respect it was underscored that the media plays a very important role in making information available to citizens. Community radios and the use of council notice boards were given as examples of means of making information accessible by the citizens. A participant in Kenya mentioned that Participatory budgeting is being implemented successfully in Malindi because the media plays an important role in disseminating information and sensitizing the citizens.

Participants revealed that monitoring and evaluation is also made difficult because citizens are sidelined at some stages of project implementation. It was mentioned that in Kenya for example the participatory process ends with mare consultations. The citizens are not involved in the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of projects. However, it was noted that in Rwanda progress is being made in trying to involve citizens at all stages. It was mentioned that various stakeholders meet once a term through the Joint Action Forums to discuss various challenges and options for implementing projects. It was also stated that in Rwanda the blending of traditional values with modern values has helped in attaining participatory governance.

Capacity building for the citizens and local authority officials was mentioned as the way forward to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation in participatory governance. Citizens need the capacity to take a centre stage in the implementation of projects, in tendering and bidding. 

The presentation by Hon. Ahwoi can be downloaded on:

http://www.mdpafrica.org.zw/ALGAF presentations.htm