NBC Staff Trained In Concessions Monitoring, Evaluation & Compliance

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ADNews- Monrovia: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) funded by the World Bank, has initiated a five-day Capacity Building Assistance Training for 30 staff members of the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) to enhance their performance in concession compliance monitoring and evaluation, yielding social and economic benefits, improved decision-making among concession stakeholders and policymakers regarding concession contract management.

The training which is focused on Concessions Monitoring, Evaluation, and Compliance commenced on Monday, October 7, 2024, and will conclude on Friday, October 11, 2024. This is the first phase of a three-phase capacity-building program, with subsequent phases scheduled for November 2024 and January 2025.

During the opening ceremony of the training, the Deputy Minister for Industry at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Andrew G. Paygar, expressed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that NBC staff gain valuable insights in concessions M & E and Compliance to enhance their functions in the best interest of the state. He said the LIFT Project is here to improve the investment climate, strengthen government institutions and build linkages, and support Small Medium Enterprises  (SMEs) through technical assistance programs, access to finance and to market. He assured NBC that once their works with companies and concessionaires continue to improve the business environment, the Project will always support their initiatives.

JSB Theodore Momo, Jr., the Director General of the National Bureau of Concessions, emphasized the significance of the NBC-MOCI/LIFT-P partnership, stating it has helped to institutionalize various practices within the Bureau and brought professionalism to its workforce. He highlighted that the ongoing training focuses on the monitoring, evaluation and compliance aspects essential for enforcing compliance in the concessions sector. “NBC primarily exists to monitor the various concessions to determine compliance with commitments,” Momo explained. “This training workshop addresses the core of our mandate, and we are grateful to LIFT-P, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Liberian government for this opportunity to train and prepare our staff.” According to  Momo, this is not the first time the LIFT Project has built capacity at the NBC, he mentioned that 7 staff members from the departments of Cadastre, ICT, Finance, Economic Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Mining benefited from similar training in Accra, Ghana during the last quarter of 2023 for 45 days while additional 6 senior staff benefited from learning tour in Ghana as well.

Despite the progress in human capacity building,   Momo said they still need more logistical support and a conducive digital working environment. He acknowledged that the LIFT Project provided two highlander TOYOTA Jeeps for its operations but they will need more if they are to achieve their targets.

 

Atty. Saye Vah

Two trainees, Afiave A. Cassell, Assistant Director of Procurement/Concessions, and Atty. Saye Vah, Director of Projects, shared their thoughts on the training. Cassell described the training as a major boost that would enhance their statutory functions, expressing confidence that the new knowledge would enable them to develop effective evaluation and monitoring templates. Atty. Vah echoed his sentiments, noting the training’s importance in building NBC staff’s capacity to fulfill their national duties effectively.

Afiave A. Cassell

According to LIFT-P Components 1 and 2.1 Lead, Mr. Julius Saye Keh-nel,   the International Expert Conducting the training will also redesign the NBC’s website and create a monitoring and data collection portal that will allow the NBC to have real-time information from concessions once they are uploaded on the system.

Julius who is also  LIFT’s  Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Specialist said the redesigning of the NBC website has started and will be live by the end of November 2024.

He emphasized that the current training will also look at the economic analysis and forecasting as it relates to concession production, associated revenue, jobs, and other social benefits; database management on the areas planted, seedling varieties, natural resource management; evaluation and appraisal of concessions proposals and Concession Contract management and evaluation among others.

This training initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening the capabilities of the National Bureau of Concessions, ensuring they can effectively monitor and evaluate concessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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