By Lamin B. Darboe- Information Officer, PMO
Director, Civil Service Reforms and Planning at Personnel Management Office (PMO) informed World Bank Group (WBG) that Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2022-2026 is a strategy document that aims to scale up WBG assistance for the country’s transition out of fragility thus give support to The Gambia Government’s vision of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth.
Sheriff Jallow made this remark recently as he was responding to a question from Bank’s Public Sector Specialist, Micheal Jelenic the moderator of the just recently launched “World Bank Group (WBG) Country Partnership Framework” (CPF) (CPF) FY22-26 at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo.
After the launching, the meeting proceeded with the Panel discussion on the topic: “Addressing Governance Constraints for Improved Transparency, Accountability and Service Delivery” which Mr. Jallow and three other panelist took part.
He dilated on the challenges facing the Civil Service as well as measures being undertaken to address those challenges.
Mr. Jallow informed that Commonwealth’s Strategic Management and Accountability Toolkit (SMART) is a good system that is adopted by many Commonwealth Governments in enhancing their performance Management System.
He said: “With the support from the Commonwealth, over two hundred senior Civil Servants were trained on the toolkit in November last year thus the intention is to hold a similar training for Cabinet so as to facilitate implementation.
On the issue of performance, Mr. Jallow informed WBG and partners that the Government through the PMO has recently drafted a Performance Management Policy to guide the implementation of the system.
On the efforts to get an appropriate Performance Management System, he indicated that the Government is working with the Commonwealth Secretariat with a view to accessing the commonwealth’s Strategic Management and Accountability Toolkit (SMART).
Director Jallow explained that the current Civil Service Reform Programe 2018-2027 identified a number of challenges key among is the issue of capacity and performance management.
On the issue of capacity, he indicated that PMO in collaboration with the Africa Capacity Building Foundation conducted a comprehensive Capacity Needs Assessment exercise in 2017.
‘’This exercise identified the capacity issues at three levels: Institutional, organizational and individual levels. PMO is still working with the ACBF and other stakeholders to implement the necessary measure to address the gaps,’’ he concluded.