MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF WATER AND SANITATION PROJECTS IN METROPOLITAN, MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES (MMDAs)

Abstract

Monitoring and Evaluation is an important tool to ensuring the effectiveness of project implementation. To make monitoring and evaluation more successful, stakeholders need to be actively involved at project monitoring and evaluation. This underscores the importance of stakeholder participation in development projects. The effective delivery of project monitoring and evaluation depends on the capacity of the institution. Therefore, the capacity of Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly and the Birim Central Municipal Assembly were assessed on the monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation projects. The specific objectives of this study were to examine the monitoring an evaluation strategies of the two Assemblies, assess the level of stakeholders participation in monitoring and evaluation and identify the factors that affect the capacity of the Assemblies in monitoring and evaluating water and sanitation projects. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 63 respondents comprising 31 from the Birim Central Municipal Assembly and 32 from the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling as a guide. The data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that the two Assemblies developed some strategies for monitoring and evaluating water and sanitation projects. These strategies included collaborations, developing indicators such as the number of people with access to water and sanitation, condition of facilities and the number of facilities in various communities, monitoring achievements, fixing meetings and the preparations of monitoring and evaluation plans. It was found that the capacity of the two Assemblies in ensuring collaboration with other stakeholders and ensuring effectiveness of the plan was weak. The stakeholders that were identified in the monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation projects included the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CSWA), Private Companies and NGOs, World Bank, Water and Sanitation Management Board (WSMB), Assembly Members, Unit Committee members, and WATSAN Committee members. It was also found that the number of years one has worked in the Assemblies determined the level of participation in monitoring and evaluating water and sanitation projects. This is shown with a correlation coefficient of .417and a significance value of .001.This means that experience is a factor in determining the level of participation in monitoring and evaluation. Three factors that were identified to have influenced monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation projects were financial, logistical and human resource challenges. It is recommended in this study that, the Assembly through the Municipal Planning Coordinating Units chaired by Coordinating Directors should ensure adequate and timely release of funds from the DACF for the monitoring and evaluation of projects in the Ejisu-Juaben and Birim Central Municipalities.