Overview, Goals and Objectives of Validation Program of MFDP’s Strategic Plan (2019 - 2023)

Mr. James M. Tokpawhiea, Director Internal Programs Coordination Unit making remarks during the program.

Presented By Mr. James M. Tokpawhiea
Director Internal Programs Coordination Unit
Millennium Guest House
Oldest Congo Town
Monrovia, Liberia
May 17, 2019

The Hon. Samuel D Tweah, Minister of Finance & Development Planning, officials of government present here, our International Partners, Civil Society Actors, members of the Fourth Estate, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

Four (4) months ago the idea of a Strategic Plan was crafted by the Department of Administration through the Internal Program Coordination Unit, against the background of the development and subsequent launch of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity & Development commonly referred to as the PAPD.
Accordingly, the PADP confers upon the MFDP three cardinal responsibilities, among which are the roles of coordination, facilitation and implementation respectively. In these three (3) roles, the MFDP is to ensure the effective coordination of Pillar and Sector Working Group’s activities, Sector Plans and Strategies, international partners and other stakeholders, as well as facilitating enabling actions of spending entities as key fiscal agent of the government and for national development planning and implementation, while producing deliverables to build more capable state institutions and create the right macroeconomic environment for private investment activities.
Cognizant of these monumental tasks, with funding made available from the United Development Programme (UNDP), the MFDP hired a National Consultant in person of Mr. Melvin Crawford to facilitate the development of a Strategic Plan. Thus, the Consultant along with Senior Technicians of the MFDP immediately got to work. On March 28, 2019, the Strategic Plan was officially launched and the process brought together major stakeholders from various ministries, agencies and commissions (MACs) along with our Development Partners as well as other non-state actors. Accordingly, the stakeholders recommended to the Consultant and team that, if not all, some of the points suggested below be reflected in the Plan:

1. Need to return to periodic performance evaluations before disbursements of funds are approved
2. Assess performance under the expired plan and develop a theory of change that will inform how to go forward
3. Place emphasis on peace and security to serve as a foundation for all else that the government hopes to accomplish.
4. Put in place an automated working system for effective and efficient service delivery
5. Hallmark of the plan should be strategic initiatives that improve service delivery like that of the new system of processing of driver’s licenses at the Ministry of Transport
6. Priorities of the Plan should address the aspects of the social sectors.
7. Plan should reflect the PAPD priorities.
8. Plan should include change planning systems relative to public expenditure, so that it becomes more needs-based and less of historical spending.
9. Plan should be strategic and operational, and
10. Plan should proffer a system of performance-based allocation of funding

Based on the above mandate, the consultant along with a Strategic Team of sixty High Level Technicians and representatives from Senior Management including the Deputy Minister for Administration and Champion of the Strategic Plan, Hon. Rebecca Y. McGill and Assistant Minister for Sectorial & Regional Planning, Hon. Benedict Kolubah travelled to Buchanan, Grand Bassa County for a three Day Strategic Retreat to review the expired 2015-2018 Strategic Plan and draw together the elements of a successor plan for the period 2019 to 2023; draft the strategic plan results framework as well as indicative costing of all of the related strategic initiatives. As a result of that retreat a draft strategic plan was produced.

Therefore, the objectives of this program are to:
• Present to you our stakeholders the strategic priorities for the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan
• Draw feedbacks on the reasonableness, comprehensiveness, and responsiveness of the strategic priorities
• Underscore possible gaps that should be considered, and
• Verify the strength of the strategic plan in view of emerging threats and opportunities

Henceforth, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Administration of the MFD, it is my honor to submit to you the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Finance & Development for the next five (5) years for official validation.

I THANK YOU!