Validation Strategy on M&E

The National Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (NaMED) in the office of the President in collaboration with the European Union (EU) through its State Building Contract Phase III (SBC) implemented by B&S Europe, held a one-day validation workshop on the National Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy, in Freetown. In attendances were selected MDA’s, Local Councils, donor partners, CSO’s, SLANGO and the media.

Dr. James Edwin, Director General / Chairman of NaMED stated that to operationalize a policy, a strategy should be developed and validated. That Monitoring and Evaluations strategy will give NaMED the authoritative guidance to operate in Sierra Leone through effective monitoring of all government and donor funded programmes/projects.  He emphasised that for NaMED, every single project counts. NaMED will be working with MDAs and development partners to ensure that government and donor funded projects are well implemented in a transparent and accountable manner.

The DG informed that NaMED has developed a National M&E management information system called NaMEMIS, as a monitoring tool for NaMED to monitor and evaluate all Government projects and programmes in Sierra Leone. He also emphasized that, soon monitoring will be digitalized so that the monitoring and evaluation process would be transparent, authentic and result-based. The NaMEMIS platform would generate vital evidence for decision-making by Government and Donors.

Mr. Mario Caivano on behalf of EU Resident Representative encouraged MDAs to work with the NaMED and adhere to government policies, so that they could achieve PROJECT objectives during implementation. He described the validation workshop as fundamental for National M&E Strategy in Sierra Leone and pledged support to NaMED as a donor partner that they are very pleased to be working with.

The lead consultant Zakaria Zakarie presented the National Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy via zoom link from Nigeria.

Review of key areas was carried out by workshop participants, focusing on strategy building, the past situational analysis, objectives of the M&E strategy, Logic of the M&E Strategy and Action Plan of the M&E Strategy.

Following group presentations, a Communique to validate the M&E Strategy was pronounced and accepted by all participants.