Director, Civil Service Reforms and Planning at the Personnel Management Office (PMO), Sheriff Jallow informed the World Bank Group (WBG) that its Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2022-2026 aims to scale up Gambia’s transition to support the vision of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth.
Sheriff Jallow made the remarks recently as he was responding to a question from the 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 panelists took part in.
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 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 (2021). Thus, the intention is to hold a similar training for the Cabinet so as to facilitate implementation.”
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.
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 Programme 2018-2027 identified a number of challenges key among is ‘capacity and performance management’.
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 measures to address the gaps,’’ he concluded.
By Lamin B. Darboe, Information Officer, PMO