By Mariama Benovia Davies
The Director General of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Agency (NaMEA), Dr. James Edwin, has outlined the mandate, achievements and growing role of the Agency in ensuring that government projects, programmes and policies are effectively implemented and deliver the intended results to the people of Sierra Leone. Dr. Edwin made the disclosure during the Government of Sierra Leone’s Weekly Press Conference held at the Miatta Civic Centre and hosted by Mohamed Jaward Nyallay, Strategic Communications Adviser at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
According to Dr. Edwin, the establishment of NaMEA was driven by the need to create a dedicated institution capable of systematically tracking government projects and determining whether they were being successfully implemented. He explained that Sierra Leone implements hundreds of government projects each year, with the number ranging between approximately 100 and 250 depending on the year. While many of these projects receive parliamentary approval through the national budget process, there was previously no single institution with the responsibility and capacity to comprehensively follow up on their implementation and performance.
Dr. Edwin explained that the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department was initially established under the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development before being transferred to the Office of the President. He said the institution’s fundamental responsibility is to monitor government projects, programmes and policies across ministries, departments and agencies, assess their performance and provide recommendations to ensure successful implementation. The Agency also examines whether projects are receiving and effectively utilising the resources allocated to them.
A major component of NaMEA’s work, he noted, is capacity development within ministries, departments and agencies. Given the large number of government projects being implemented across the country, Dr. Edwin said it would be practically impossible for NaMEA to monitor every project directly on a continuous basis. As a result, the Agency trains designated personnel within government institutions to undertake monitoring and evaluation activities and provide relevant information to NaMEA. This approach, he said, strengthens institutional capacity while improving the availability and quality of information for decision making.
Dr. Edwin also highlighted the Agency’s efforts to modernise monitoring and evaluation through digital technology. He cited the development of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Information System, which is designed to bring information on government projects together on a single platform. The digital system is intended to make monitoring more efficient by allowing authorised users to access project information without having to physically visit ministries or travel to different locations. Although the system is still being gradually rolled out and faces challenges including data entry and reporting, he said efforts are ongoing to address these difficulties.
Beyond routine project monitoring, the Director General said NaMEA conducts special studies to identify broader challenges that may affect the implementation of government priorities. These studies can examine areas such as financing, human resources and institutional capacity, as well as the relationship between different pillars of the National Development Plan. He explained that some projects may fall under one development pillar while having significant implications for another, making it necessary to examine the connections between programmes and sectors in order to provide more comprehensive recommendations.
Another significant responsibility of NaMEA is the monitoring and evaluation of the National Development Plan 2024–2030 and its implementation framework. Dr. Edwin said the framework provides annual targets against which government’s progress can be assessed. With the country approaching the midpoint of the seven year plan, he said it is important to review what was initially planned, assess what has been achieved during the first years of implementation and identify areas requiring greater attention before 2030. The Agency also contributes to monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and other national development priorities.
Dr. Edwin further explained that NaMEA provides technical assessments and reports when requested by Cabinet and other government institutions. The Agency may, for example, be asked to assess a strategy or programme before it is presented to Cabinet, providing evidence and analysis to support informed decision making. He said these functions including project monitoring, institutional capacity development, digital monitoring, special studies, national development plan evaluation and technical support to government collectively form the core mandate of NaMEA. Through these interventions, the Agency continues to strengthen accountability, evidence based decision making and effective delivery of government programmes and projects in Sierra Leone.
