The ECOWAS Council of Ministers has adopted a draft Policy document for robust Monitoring and Evaluation of the impact of projects and programmes implemented in Member States.

The draft policy document titled; “ECOWAS Monitoring and Evaluation Policy”, was recommended by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers for approval by the ECOWAS Heads of Government at a virtual Ministerial meeting organised in Accra on January 20th, 2021.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency by the Ministry of Planning, said the meeting was participated by Ministers from 15 Member countries as well as Monitoring and Evaluation Experts.

Also present were the Heads of the National ECOWAS Offices in Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Mr. Mohammed Nurudeen Ismaila, Head of the ECOWAS National Office in Ghana, welcomed the delegates on behalf of the President, Ghana and the Chairman of ECOWAS Commission Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He noted that effective monitoring was critical for the successful implementation of projects and urged participants to make solid contributions towards the improvement of the policy document and recommend it to the Council of Ministers for endorsement.

Professor George Gyan-Baffour, former Minister of Planning and Chairman of the meeting in a remark underscored the importance of a “sound Monitoring and Evaluation Policy that would provide clear answers to the legitimate questions of community citizens about the impact of projects and programmes on their daily lives”.

He said the growing need for tactful strategic planning at the national and sub-regional levels, to ensure more efficient use of available resources.

Prof. Gyan-Baffour said the principles of the regional integration agenda of the ECOWAS, based on solidarity, complementarity and subsidiarity must be uphold.

He said, the adoption of this policy document, signified the importance of Monitoring and Evaluation in the sub-region’s development trajectory.

He said the principles underpinning Monitoring and Evaluation, including transparency, accountability, timeliness, utilisation and participation, must be adhered to in the use of the ECOWAS Monitoring and Evaluation Policy.

Madam Finda Koroma, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, said the draft Policy was a response to the clarion call from Member States for more visible and more impactful projects.

“The draft Policy will allow the ECOWAS Commission to adopt a policy framework that will guide, among other things, the effective implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050 to effectively fulfil the aspirations of the community citizens,” she said.

She said the Policy, once adopted, would establish common structures and standards across ECOWAS Institutions and Specialised Agencies that govern the application of effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, and promote the culture and practice of M&E for evidence-based decision making at all levels within ECOWAS.

She said the Policy would also ensure a more efficient use of community resources.

Additionally she explained that the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document, once in place, would firm up the aspirations and developmental priorities of West African citizens over the next 30 years while consolidating the gains made by ECOWAS in the implementation of programmes and projects identified under the ECOWAS Vision 2020 document.