Pres. Boakai vows, as he launches Nat’l Consultancy Policy
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I The President, Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the launch of the National Consultancy Guidelines vowed to make Liberia a respectable country amongst the community of nations. He says his government is bound to make Liberia a country that will deliver the goods and prosperity for its people.
“For those of you that work in government, let them go on Facebook, let them go on the various media, and let them say what they may, but Liberia is going to be a country that will be respected. We are bound to make Liberia a respectable country, a country of honesty, a country that will deliver the goods and prosperity for all.”
Meanwhile, the launch of the National
Consultancy Policy Guidelines for the Public Service is regarded as a significant
step towards enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in the
provision of consultancy services across Government Spending Entities.
Therefore, it is considered a strategic move of the government that is aimed at centralizing the management and coordination of consultancy services across government agencies and it ought to streamline various allocation of funds earmarked for consultancy services, ensuring they address critical government needs where existing staffing and capacities fall short.
In furtherance, President Boakai described the launch as a sanitizer of the governance system, stating that it is a vital part of the hundred-day deliverables of the Boakai administration. “It is a drive to sanitize the process of the governance system.
The Launch of this policy is a vital part of our hundred days deliverables.”
The Liberian leader further added that the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines is an effective and prudent use of the national resources that presents ammunition against waste and patronage and maximizes the quality of professionalism. “It also presents useful ammunition against waste and patronage and maximizes the quality of professional services.”
President Boakai further added the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines aim to ensure that consultancy resources are deployed effectively.
For this part, the Director General of the Civil Servant Agency, Josiah F. Joekai Jr. stated that the National Consultancy Guidelines for Accountability is a critical framework with emphasis on accountability and performance evaluation. Therefore, Consultants or consultancy firms are now required to meet key performance indicators established by contracting entities and
overseen by the CSA, This shift in focus from mere employment extension to
tangible results are pivotal in reshaping the consultancy Landscape within the
government.
“A critical aspect of this framework is the emphasis on accountability and
performance evaluation. Consultants or consultancy firms are now required to
meet key performance indicators established by contracting entities and overseen by the CSA, This shift in focus from mere employment extension to tangible results is pivotal in reshaping the consultancy Landscape within the government,” CSA Director General said.
He also noted that policy guidelines were developed to ensure value for money and stringent performance accountability for consultants hired.
Josiah F. Joekai Jr. provided that as part of the reform measure, the CSA has proposed allocating a US$2 million cap on consultancy expenditures in the 2024 fiscal year. Further asserting that it is a prudent measure that will lead to a cost-saving of US4. I million, thereby curbing excesses and rooting out corruption that plagued the consultancy landscape under the previous administration.
The CSA Director General further stated that by instituting this fiscal discipline and accountability mechanism, the government will safeguard public resources and pave the way
for genuine progress and development initiatives to flourish.
Joekai continued by alleging that the Tax approach under the previous administration of former President George Manneh Weah led to a pervasive misallocation of resources and a blatant disregard for accountability that resulted in the squandering of public funds.
He asserted that the repercussions of such negligence were stark evident in the financial losses incurred by the government.
Moreover, Josiah F. Joekai Jr. alleged that just within the last fiscal year, the Government of President George Manneh Weah misapplied a staggering USS6.1 million on so-called consultancy services that yielded negligible.
“This Tax approach under the previous administration of former President George Manneh Weah led to a pervasive misallocation of resources and a blatant
disregard for accountability, resulting in the squandering of public funds.
The repercussions of such negligence were stark evident in the financial losses
incurred by the government. Just within the last fiscal year alone. the The government of President George Manneh Weah misapplied a staggering USS6.1 million on so-called consultancy services that yielded negligible, if any, tangible results. In other words, consultancy resources misapplied, and unaccounted for were wasted.”
The Civil Servant Agency Boss concluded by stating that the newly established policy guidelines framework developed by the CSA, is a competitive framework that has been instituted to level the playing field for all spending entities seeking consultancy services.
He added that the framework aimed to eradicate disparities and ensure equal opportunities for entities to address knowledge gaps within their respective domains, and sets rigorous standards and procedures governing the implementation of consultancies across the Central Government.
