eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
GOVERNMENT has formulated the implementation roadmap to drive the newly unveiled National Development Strategy (NDS 1: 2021-2025) Strategy and ensure attainment of set goals, which are key building blocs towards an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
President Mnangagwa officially launched the new economic blue-print, which is a successor to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) (2018-2020), which expires this month. Guided by the NDS1, the Government is targeting to foster inclusive growth and rebuilding Zimbabwe’s once vibrant industrial base after decade long economic slowdowns.
In fulfilment of the undertaking made at the launch of the strategic economic blue-print, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, on Tuesday updated Cabinet on the formulation of an NDS 1 implementation roadmap.
Presenting the 44th post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said the implementation roadmap lays out clear benchmarks to show the attainment of set goals for purposes of effectively monitoring and evaluating progress made.
“Cabinet stresses that monitoring and evaluation of the NDS 1 targets will commence from the outset of the strategy period and will be done through an e-enabled information management system,” said.
As such, the minister said Government ministries, departments and agencies have already undertaken strategic planning workshops to come up with annual plans for the year 2021, which are based on an initial three-year macro-economic framework.
The annual plans form the basis upon which performance contracts of permanent secretaries will be signed later this month, she explained.
“The nation is advised that the ‘NDS 1 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework’ is drawn from the national and sectoral development results frameworks, which outline national priorities, key result areas, outcomes, key performance indicators, baselines and targets,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“The results-based monitoring and evaluation of NDS1 will place greater emphasis on the measurement of economic and livelihoods transformation results.
“In order to ensure effective and efficient implementation of NDS 1, bi-annual reviews coupled with mid-term and terminal evaluation will be undertaken.”
At the policy level, the minister noted that coordination of the NDS 1 implementation, monitoring and evaluation will be done by Cabinet.
The framework will see ministers, accounting officers/permanent secretaries and programme managers being held accountable for the delivery of identified outcomes and outputs.
A high-level NDS 1 national steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, and comprising members from the Office of the President and Cabinet, Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, would also produce periodic reports on results-based monitoring and evaluation of NDS 1 for consideration by the ministerial committee chaired by the Minister of Finance, said Mutsvangwa.
At the implementation level, she clarified that the National Monitoring and Evaluation Joint Review Committee, chaired by a Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, and consisting of all NDS 1 thematic working group chairs and co-chairs, will coordinate the work of NDS 1 thematic working groups.
The same team will engage all key stakeholders, ensure that implementation of NDS 1 remains consistent with the country’s strategic policy direction as outlined by the national steering committee and produce periodic progress reports for consideration by the National Steering Committee.
“Thematic working groups monitoring and evaluation committees, chaired by lead ministry permanent secretaries and comprising membership from ministries under the relevant thematic working group will ensure that priorities as outlined in national sector results frameworks are implemented timeously, effectively and efficiently,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She also said ministry, department or agency management committees will report on their respective programme outputs and outcomes, which will in turn contribute to the achievement of the development results at the national, sector or sub-sector levels.
In terms of devolution and decentralisation results, the minister said Provincial Councils and Chiefs’ Councils will be critical in the monitoring of associated NDS 1 outputs and outcomes.
Furthermore, planning, financing and implementation capacities at provincial and district levels will be strengthened to support devolved activities in lower level tiers of the Government, she said.
