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FY 18 Gambia Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) Report

November 20,2017

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1. Introduction

As part of the World Bank’s effort to ensure good performances of the active projects in portfolio,

World Bank staffs carry out a review of the whole portfolio every year. This review, called Country

Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR), is conducted to ensure that the portfolio quality is being

maintained and to identify any portfolio wide problems that need to be dealt with. CPPR is a

process where engagement and discussion is held with client (PIUs and Government officials) for:

(i) consulting the project implementers on the constraints they are facing; and (ii) seeking their

proposals for possible solutions and ways of addressing the issues.

CPPR is undertaken as a joint exercise with the participation of the Government officials, representatives of Project Implementation Units (PIUs) and World Bank Country Team (CT). This is in line with the objective of closely collaborating with the relevant counterparts and promoting strong government ownership that is critical in building capacity as well as ensuring that the proposed measures and actions are implemented in the future. CPPR takes a stock of the progress made since the last review in terms of addressing the most

important implementation issues faced by the portfolio and the overall quality of project

supervision as well as the effectiveness of portfolio risk management. It helps to strategically

reassess the critical risk factors of the portfolio, re-evaluate its development effectiveness and

propose measures and actions that can be taken when a new IDA program is developed. CCPR

supports country efforts to end poverty and boost shared prosperity in sustainable manner

considering the client demand and WBG’s comparative advantage. CPPR once conducted can

inform Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs).

2. Overview of the Gambia CPPR

The objectives of the FY18 Gambia CPPR were three-fold: (i) help WB clients/partners to get more results on the ground; (ii) improve the quality and implementation performance of the Bank funded portfolio; and (iii) establish a more systematic follow-up mechanism for engagement on portfolio matters with the Government as well as within the Country Team. The CPPR cover IDA lending (grants and credits) operations, both national and regional, and Trust Funds. It focused on practical issues of portfolio management and implementation, including its alignment against cost and timing of delivery. The Government of The Gambia and the World Bank conducted the FY18 CPPR on November 20, 2017. The Gambia active portfolio in amount of $141.24 million is composed of six national IDA projects, which five are investment projects and one budget support operation. Of the $141.24 million, $ 49.7 million (35%) is grant and $ 91.5 million (65%) is credit. The IDA national portfolio is distributed among four sectors: agriculture (11%), education (25%), energy (13%), and governance (51%). Three regional projects in amount of $51.48 million, cover energy sector (91%), education (6%) and fishery (3%). In addition, Trust Fund totaling $23 million support implementation of the national and regional projects.

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The Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) supports the governance, microeconomics and fiscal management, social protection, agriculture, ICT and education sectors. The FY18 IDA lending pipeline of $90 million includes the education sector support program ($30 million IDA + $5 million GEF), The Gambia electricity restoration and modernization project ($40 million) and programmatic Development Policy Operation ($20 million). Key representatives from sector ministries, project implementation units’ staff, staff of the key directorates of the Ministry of Finance and Economic affairs and members of the World Bank Gambia Country Team participated in the CPPR. The CPPR meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Abdoulie Jallow, and Mr. Ansumana Touray, Deputy Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and Mrs. Elene Imnadze, World Bank Country Representative in The Gambia. The World Bank presented an overview of the Gambia portfolio and Project Implementation Units’ presented status of each projects.

3. Key Findings of the CPPR

• The Gambia national portfolio is performing well with disbursement ratio of 56.3% in September 2017 despite constraints that slows down the performance;

• The Gambia regional portfolio is lagging with disbursement ratio of only 21.50 % (June-Oct 2017);

• Four out of five investment projects have been rated Satisfactory for the Project Development Objective;

• One investment project is rated Moderately Satisfactory for the Project Development Objective;

✓ The Gambia Integrated Financial Management Information System Project

• Two investments projects rated Moderately Unsatisfactory for the Implementation progress;

✓ The Gambia Integrated Financial Management Information System Project ✓ The Gambia Commercial Agriculture and Value Chain Management Project

• Weak monitoring of the KPIs and M&E tools to monitor KPIs

• There are projects that request additional funding due to exchange loss and under budgeting

4. Major Challenges/ Constraints

• Weak Monitoring and Evaluation system

• Ambitious Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that do not reflect the reality on the ground

• Lack of up-to-date knowledge of the Bank’s processes and procedures

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• Weak communication channels between the line ministries, implementation agencies and the World Bank

• Inadequate synergy between the project implementation units • Delays in conducting regular supervision missions affect project performance and hinder

the process of addressing issues. These open doors to disagreement and misunderstanding between the World Bank and the PIUs

5.Recommendations from Projects Implementation Units on Portfolio Management

• Consistent coordination and follow up with PIUs on project implementation by the World

Bank

• Timely mission announcements and coordination with PIUs for smooth and successful

mission. This was recommended specifically to the GCAV project

• WB to facilitate for Additional Financing of Projects such as GCAV projects that were

affected by exchange rate

• Projects to regularly communicate challenges and constraint through MoFEA for further

discussion with the Bank

• There is a need to explore on how IFMIS system can be expanded to all the projects in the

Gambia

• Participation of Permanent Secretaries of line ministries in all upcoming CPPRs

• World Bank to build capacity of project M&E officers to help them conduct an internal

assessment using M&E tool for regular follow up of project status

• Put in place regular information sharing mechanisms between the Country Office and the

PIUs

• Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (DAC) to organize a working session with PIUs

to share lessons and good practices

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5. The Gambia CPPR Action Plan The table below provides a concise summary of the proposed actions to address challenges

Constraints/Challenges Proposed Actions Responsible Completion

Deadline Risk

Limited M&E capacity of PIUs

• To conduct an

assessment on

the M&E

functionality for

each project and

determine gaps

• Conduct M&E

training for

implementing

partners

Bank, MoFA

and PIUs

March 30th

2017 Medium

Lack of updated and

regular communication

(PIUS, line ministries

and WB)

• Introduce regular

meetings

between the

government and

World Bank and

among line

ministries

• Effective

communication

through aide

memoir and

reports

• Arrange for a

platform to share

lessons and

experience among

PIUs (synergy)

MoFA/WB Quarterly Medium

Limited in country skills

/experts in irrigation

and land development

• Review projects

and address the

issue during MTR

WB, MoFA, line

ministries and

PIUs

June 2018 High

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Constraints/Challenges Proposed Actions Responsible Completion

Deadline Risk

and project

restructuring

PMU staffing and staff

turnover (high mobility

of key staff)

• PMU staffing on

full time bases

Directorate of

HR of line

ministries,

MoFA, PIUs

September

2018

Medium

Lack of internet

connectivity to access

World Bank system such

as client connection

PIUs to use the WB facilities to connect to client connection

PIUs and WB Regularly High

Low disbursement rate

of the regional projects

• Monitor the Procurement Plan to maintain the disbursement dynamic

• Monitor the work plan to ensure implementation is not delayed

PIUs,

Procurement

expert, FMS and

Bank team

Regularly Low

Limited knowledge of

PIUs and line ministries

on the World Bank

procedures and process

Regular training on FM, procurement, M&E and social safe guard

WB Regularly Medium

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Annex I Sector specific PIUs Action Points

1) Africa Higher Education Center of Excellence (ACE) P 126974

Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline

Students’ progress reports/results from the centers

Engage the centers National Focal Point – MoHERST On-going

Access to Internet facilities Engage the Centers National Focal Point - MoHERST On going

Funding for the remaining activities Engaging MoFEA/WB

MoHERS Dec-17

2) Results for Education Achievement and Development (READ) P 133079

Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline

Low Government allocation to the Education sector

Engaging MoFEA MoBSE On going

Providing access to electricity to SSS especially in the Rural areas

Engaging Government and looking for possible funding to provide Solar System

MoBSE / Government

On-going

Expansion of PSI/PMI to all SSS Seeking Government and donor funding

MoBSE / MoFEA On-going

Ensuring 100% attendance during NAT assessment

Engaging Communities MoBSE On-going

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3) Commercial Agriculture and Value Chain Management Project P125024

Actions

Deadline for the

issues to be

resolved

Responsible Observation

A meeting was held between the project, the Consultant and the Contractor during which a road map (Revised work plan) was agreed for the Contractor to prepare and submit to GCAV management for review. This work plan will be used to monitor the remaining civil works for the Irrigated rice and vegetable gardens.

Nov 2017– Jan 2018 for the vegetable gardens and Nov 2017-June 2018 to complete all the civil works in T.I.S

CPCU/GCAV/Contractors and Supervising Engineer

CPCU to finalize the 2nd trench of payment

GCAV and GCCI and rice important to undertake a field visit to CRR/South and CRR/North to have firsthand information of the rice produced in the region

NOV-Dec 2017 CPCU/GCAV

GCCI to summit the proposal for the field visit

A request for additional financing has been submitted to MOFEA for WB to consider

June-Dec 2017 CPCU/MOA/MOFEA and WB

Waiting for Bank’s response

Engage the service provider (NIFTY) to remove the online connection of the GANAD

Dec-17 CPCU/M&ETWG/NIFTY and Nema

Review the Contract between NIFTY and Nema

Conduct M&E training for implementing partners

Dec-17 CPCU/M&ETWG

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4) Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health Results Project (MCNHRP)

P143650

Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline

Slow disbursement of funds and implementation of activities during the second half of this year

Re-allocation and adjustment of project categories through restructuring

FMS and Bank 30th November 2017

Frequent movement and change of staff Implementation of the HRH Policy and Strategy

Directorate of HRH (MOHSW

Jun-18

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5) West Africa Regional Fisheries Program of the Gambia P161906

Constraints Actions suggested Responsible person(s)

Deadline

Fisheries not on Govt priority area Govt to put fisheries on the priority areas in the NDP

MoFEA and MoFWRNAMs

Immediate

Reduction of 30m pledge to 8m. This has drastically reduced the scope of work in the proposed landing sites.

Govt to negotiation with the WB to honor the pledge.

MoFEA and MoFWRNAMs

Immediate

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6) Gambia Electricity Support Project (GESP) P152659

Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Observation

Scope change

Manage Scope changes

Managing personnel

Re-enforce regular meetings and Steering committee

Communication Provision of good Internet for Client connection and STEP

PMU Staffing PMU staffing on full time bases

Recent Port Clearance

Effective communication

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7) IFMIS AFI & II

Actions Deadline for the issues to be resolved

Responsible Observation

Challenges in effective use of IFMIS system since the upgrade to Epicor 9. Hence, delay in the expansion of the system to additional sites. A proposal was made to upgrade Epicor 10 to overcome the challenges of the current version.

To step up the implementation of the IFMIS migration to Epicor 10

Delay in the implementation IFMIS Epicor 10 migration because looking forward to a strategic approach

To build the capacity of IFMIS users to ensure effective use of the system

Delay in the implementation of the ERMS because one of the bidders filed in a petition against the outcome of the procurement.

Low disbursement Rate

To step up the implementation of the IFMIS AF1 to improve on the disbursement rate