Report on the Governance and Civil Service Reform Programme Phase 2 for the Period May

PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM UNIT

GOVERNANCE REFORM SECRETARIAT

REPORT ON THE GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SERVICE REFORM PROGRAMME PHASE 2 FOR THE PERIOD

MAY TO OCTOBER 2006

8 WESLEY STREET

FREETOWN

SIERRA LEONENOVEMBER 2006

REPORT ON THE GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SERVICE REFORM PROGRAMME PHASE 2 FOR THE PERIOD MAY TO OCTOBER 2006

1.0BACKGROUND

Under the Terms of Reference of the Coordinator of Public Service Reform, it is stipulated inter alia that he will report to DFID (West African Division and its Senior Governance Adviser) on a six-monthly basis and in writing, covering a forward plan of activities, progress and problems. This report covers the period May to October 2006.

2.0WORK PROGRAMME

The work programme for the period November 2006 to April 2007 is attached as Annex 1.

2.1Management and Functional Reviews

The programme of management and functional reviews provided for under the Governance and Civil Service Reform Programme (GCSRP) Phase 2 continued during the period under review with the fourth set covering the Ministries of Social Welfare, Justice, Youth and Sports and Internal Affairs. The rationale behind selecting these Ministries was that the reviews would complement and facilitate the work of the Justice Sector Development Project (JSDP) in helping to improve the performance of key institutions in the justice sector. The Ministries of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Internal Affairs and Justice are part of the formal justice sector and JSDP adopts a common and unified approach for them using the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) method.

So far, ten Ministries have been reviewed and six reports approved by Cabinet. Fieldwork has been completed for the four new Ministries mentioned in the preceding paragraph and reports are expected by mid-November 2006.

2.1.1Ministry of Local Government and Community Development (MLGCD)

Implementation of the recommendations and plan approved by Cabinet is slow and the problem is compounded by the Ministry’s failure to establish its Change Management Team. Although there is weak capacity in the Ministry, it is apparently not using relevant expertise available at the Decentralisation Secretariat (DECSEC) to move forward the implementation process in certain areas. DECSEC can act as a key de facto Directorate of the Ministry during the 4-year transitional period and can provide technical and logistical support to buttress the Ministry’s capacity in implementing the reforms. There is need for closer communication and cooperation between the Ministry and DECSEC particularly in the areas of capacity building of the Local Councils, implementation of local government reform and decentralisation, and monitoring/evaluation of progress with decentralisation. While the legal arm of DECSEC has put in place a mechanism to track areas in the Local Government Act which should be tabled for review in 2008, it would be prudent for the Ministry to prepare appropriate policy guidelines that would inform the amendment of the Act. There is also a need for cooperation with the ENCISS project which should be used as a vehicle for taking the reform agenda to the public.

2.1.2Ministry of Defence (MOD)

Thirty out of the forty eight recommendations contained in the review report have been implemented, but the Change Management Team is yet to be established. The Ministry has improved its management processes but there is still room for improvement in its HR practices in line with wider initiatives being pursued within the ambit of the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO). Also, the constitutional amendment required to reflect the revised organisational arrangements that have emerged as a result of the MoD restructuring exercise and the creation of a single Joint Forces Command should be brought to the attention of the Law Reform Commission for necessary action. The GRS has held fruitful discussions with officials of the Ministry including the Civil Affairs Advisers concerning preparatory work that can be done pending the introduction of new policies and procedures on training and development, and performance management.

2.1.3Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)

The Ministry has made considerable progress in the implementation of reforms. The Minister has demonstrated committed political leadership in the process but needs strong support from the Change Management Team which is presently weak. Communication and information dissemination within the Ministry and with its external stakeholders should be guided by a strategy to make people more aware of the entire reform agenda. While acknowledging that there are financial constraints that impede implementation, it is incumbent on the Ministry to calculate relevant costs appertaining thereto and provide adequate justification for inclusion in the national budget.

2.1.4Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST)

By Conclusion CP11(2006) 8 of 15th June 2006, Cabinet among other things agreed to adopt the recommendations of the Steering Committee on Good Governance (SCGG) on the review report. Cabinet also approved the plan for implementation of the changes that would lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness in the Ministry. The Minister is supportive of the reforms and reports indicate that he endeavours to monitor progress in implementation. The Change Management Committee meets occasionally but is hamstrung by poor attendance and an apparent lack of knowledge and commitment of some members. Administrative bottlenecks have caused undue delays in filling key vacancies, and this has adversely affected the Ministry’s capacity to implement some of the recommendations. There is an urgent need for the Establishment Secretary’s Office to fast track the recruitment of suitable personnel to mann vacant positions in the Ministry. It is also important to note that some of the major changes require funds for implementation which are not readily available. Quite apart from normal budgetary provision, the Ministry is the recipient of bilateral and multilateral donor support. However, there is need to prioritise the activities that underpin reform and ensure that available funds are utilised to implement them.

2.1.5Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFS)

Regrettably, well over a year since the re-review report was released, it is yet to be discussed at the SCGG. There have been five unsuccessful attempts to have the report discussed. The Establishment Secretary’s Office has been urged to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion.

2.1.6Ministry of Mineral Resources (MMR)

The Ministry’s Implementation Plan, the report and other supporting documentation were forwarded to the Ministry of Presidential and Public Affairs (MPPA) in May 2006 for onward transmission to Cabinet. In July 2006, MPPA informed us that the report had been overtaken by events which made it imperative for further discussions to be held with the Top Management of MMR on the present status and the way forward before its submission to Cabinet. Following discussions with the Permanent Secretary MMR, he has confirmed in writing that although a number of personnel appointments are being processed that are not part of the recommendations of the Ministry’s MFR, the report should still be submitted to Cabinet to ensure that other aspects are approved for implementation. He has therefore requested the Permanent Secretary, MPPA to take action accordingly.

2.1.7Ministry of Finance (MOF)

As mentioned in the last report, MOF indicated in its letter of 7th April 2006 that a draft paper on the restructuring of the Ministry was being prepared and would be forwarded in due course for the comments of GRS. We have written to the Ministry to say that the recommendations contained in the review report forwarded to them on 16th February 2006, constitute a structural response to the manner in which MoF would execute its functions including those relating to planning and policy development, fiscal policy and budgetary management. The aforementioned draft paper on the restructuring of the Ministry will therefore be read in conjunction with the review report and harmonised at the level of the SCGG before submission to Cabinet. The draft paper which is an essential ingredient has still not been forwarded and this is delaying the process.

2.1.8Ministry of Development and Economic Planning (MODEP)

The Ministry’s comments/observations are still awaited on the draft report forwarded to the Development Secretary in February 2006. On 28th March 2006 we were informed by letter that the Ministry’s response will be forwarded to us shortly. Reminders were issued on 23rd May 2006 and 21st September 2006 respectively.

2.1.9Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR)

Following completion of the review report in February 2006 and the presentation of a position paper by MFMR in June 2006, discussions were held on a few issues which required further examination. The final draft was released to the ESO on 6th October 2006 for circulation to members of the SCGG for their perusal and subsequent discussion.

2.1.10Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS)

In the absence of a Change Management Team, implementation appears to be disjointed and uncoordinated. The last monitoring exercise also revealed that some of the reform measures approved by Cabinet have been varied. For example, although Cabinet approved inter alia that the work of the Human Resource Directorate including the current activities of the Personnel Unit should be brought under the direct control of the Director of Support Services, this change has still not been effected. When the monitoring team interviewed some key officials affected by the recommendations, they were not sufficiently informed about the process and therefore simply maintained the status quo. The perennial problem of lack of budgeted funds is also an obstacle to implementation.

2.1.11Issues and problems

At its 16th Meeting held on 6th September 2006, Cabinet noted inter alia the following:-

“That the many reform measures introduced over the years, moreso the structural and Functional Reviews in Ministries/Departments/Agencies (MDAs) as a way of addressing capacity problems had not yielded the desired results”.

In order to facilitate the provision of feed back to Cabinet, we have prepared briefing notes that give some background on the management and functional reviews, expected outputs, status of implementation, reasons for slow progress in implementation, and recommendations made since 2004 to date to move the process forward. Suffice it to say that this problem has been examined and addressed in the following reports:

• GRS Report of November 2004
• Public Administration International Inception Report of April 2005
• GRS Report of May 2005
• Output to Purpose Review (OPR) of the Governance and Civil Service Reform Programme of May 2005

• DFID’s “Way Forward” Paper to GoSL on accelerating civil service reform in Sierra Leone of September 2005

• “Key Recommendations to move the GCSRP forward” paper which was presented at the GoSL/DFID Roundtable Discussions chaired by the Minister of Presidential Affairs on 2nd February 2006.

• GRS Report of May 2006.

It is recommended that a Cabinet Memorandum be issued by MPPA seeking a strong directive on the imperative of implementing the reform measures so that they can yield the desired results.

Another key issue that requiresscrutiny is the role of the SCGG which functions only when meetings are convened to consider review reports. The SCGG needs to meet regularly and should be given more authority so that it is seen as a focal point for managing progress in governance reform.

The GRS had started taking a more proactive approach to monitor progress and support the implementation of reviews through a number of initiatives including increasing interaction with ministries through its staff and the graduates recruited by PAI to work in the MFR teams. Unfortunately, all of the graduates have either left for greener pastures or post-graduate studies abroad, thereby thwarting our efforts. It is anticipated that new staff who are transferred or recruited into the HRMO would enable development of capacity within the new structure so that the Management Services Division would start performing its role. This would not only fill the vacuum created by the departure of the graduates but also help in institutionalising and making permanent the process of organisational reviews and performance improvement.

2.2Diagnostic study of the Architecture of Government of Sierra Leone (A Horizontal Review Across Ministries)

The review was completed in March 2006 and the report was issued to the Public Service Reform Sub-Committee for comments/observations prior to its finalisation. Only two responses were received from the Cabinet Secretariat and IPAM. In the circumstances, an abridged version has been finalised for submission to the SCGG. The report contains recommendations for a restructured architecture of government, rationalisation/amalgamation of a number of ministries in a revised “blueprint” structure, and a proposed structure for a Ministry that will create an efficient service framework. Implementation is dependent on endorsement by the SCGG and approval by Cabinet. Meanwhile, the data collated during the review is being utilised to inform individual reviews of remaining MDAs.

2.3Conversion of the Establishment Secretary’s Office (ESO) into the new Human Resources Management Office (HRMO)

A team of five officials from the ESO accompanied by Mr Stephen Catchpole PAI Team Leader, visited the United Kingdom for a four-day study programme from 7th to 10th June. The programme included a briefing on the role of the Cabinet Office in HRM by Employment Relations Division; presentations on Pay and Remuneration Schemes, Recruitment and Employment Relations; and a visit to the National School of Government. The Ag. Establishment Secretary and his colleagues benefited from the study programme and they themselves identified a number of specific areas in which work needs to be progressed. It was also agreed that a campaign should be launched to alert and involve staff in the changes and provide information to MDAs. A stakeholder analysis was done and action points drawn up to move the process forward.

The structure and tentative plan are in place to launch the basic requirements that would make the HRMO operational by end of 2006.

Progress has also been made in the following:

• HR Strategic Plan aligned to new and adopted policies awaiting operationalisation of the HRMO

• Manpower hearings in place for all MDAs for inclusion in FY 2007 Budget

• Budget Call Circular supported by a comprehensive Guidance Manual on Preparation of Manpower Budgets issued to all MDAs and used for the first time

• Budget hearings undertaken with all MDAs in August/September 2006 for FY 2007 Budget

• Consultation drafts already prepared on:

-Recruitment and Selection Handbook

-Career Development Handbook

-Staff Performance and Career Planning Handbook

-Individual Performance Appraisal Scheme (IPAS) for Sierra Leone Civil Service

Concerning the development of a composite Civil Service Law, the analysis has been completed and a policy document prepared in consultation with stakeholders and the Law Officers Department.

Apart from the lack of technical capacity and financial constraints which pose major challenges to implementation, there is an urgent need to focus on transfer and/or recruitment of suitably qualified or trainable staff into the HRMO to enable development of capacity and commencement of training programmes. It is anticipated that in keeping with the Improved Governance and Accountability Pact (IGAP) the minimum requirements for HRMO will be in place and operational by end of 2006.

2.4Records Management Improvement Programme (RMIP)

Additional funding has been made available by DFID to expand on the pilot work already undertaken under the RMIP. This will involve reviewing and strengthening personnel files and linking them to payroll verification. The aim is to create a master file within the HRMO for each legitimate employee and finally a working file to be kept in the relevant MDA. These files will among other things provide legal evidence on employment required for payroll verification, as well as documentary evidence for human resource management and audit purposes. In order to complete the exercise, further infrastructure development including racking, registry refurbishment and security measures would be required. There are indications that the European Union is prepared to fund this component.

2.5The Management of Training and Development in the Sierra Leone Civil Service

The delay in approving the training policy has affected disbursement of appreciable funds allocated under GCSRP Phase 2 for training. Cabinet’s adoption of the policy and strategy for Civil Service Training and Development will inform the strategic plan for the HRMO Training and Career Development Division. It is hoped that the Establishment Secretary will continue to pursue the matter with the Office of the President.

2.5.1Resuscitation of the Civil ServiceTrainingCollege

In the last report it was mentioned that the Output to Purpose Review (OPR) of the GCSRP Phase 2 of May 2005 recommended that subject to reasonable financial estimates and review by the DFID in-country Infrastructure Adviser, and to the completion of a GoSL-owned Civil Service Training Policy and development of a clear plan for training, the completion of refurbishment and operationalisation of the CSTC should be met from GRS funds. This is yet another important reason why the training policy should be approved. It is worth mentioning that GCSRP Phase will come to an end in June 2007 and we run the risk of losing this opportunity to get the CSTC back on its feet. Again, it is hoped that the Establishment Secretary would continue to vigorously pursue this matter.

2.6Development of a public sector reform strategy

We have not made any headway with the draft strategy developed by P.K. Mensah and Harry Garnett together with a local Task Team.

2.7Implementation of Senior Executive Service (SES)

By letter dated 25th May 2006 addressed to the Minister of Presidential and Affairs, DFID indicated its willingness to support the implementation of the SES over a two-year pilot period to the tune of US$5 million. DFID is willing to provide both financial and technical support to the Government in the initial set-up phase, and it is anticipated that other development partners will also come on board. The operational details are spelt out in a position paper outlining number of posts, selection process, qualifications and experience, performance management scheme, pay strategy addressing entire civil service, financial implications, sustainability, succession planning and career development, plan for integration of PIUs and management of the SES. The Minister’s response of 24th July 2006, forwarded reactions to DFID’s position which “is seen as very useful and a good basis for engaging other Donors in what must be a multi-donor approach to sustainable capacity building” The reaction indicated that there is agreement on the broad parameters for the implementation of the SES. On 1st August 2006, DFID responded to the GoSL “Reactions Paper” and highlighted the important technical details that needed to be ironed out. At a meeting held on 4th October 2006, at which DFID and UNDP were represented, it was agreed that the two development partners would jointly field a consultancy to provide the government with a detailed implementation strategy for the introduction of the SES, logically sequencing the activities required in the initial phase. The two UNDP-funded consultants are Robert Firestine and Fred Mills, while the DFID-funded is George Bardwell. It was also agreed that a national consultant would work with the team. The three-week assignment will be to review and assess proposed strategies, consult with a wide range of stakeholders and make recommendations on the way forward especially in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the SES.