- Mister Speaker Sir, I rise to respond and thank the Hon. Member for the Question.
Introduction
- Mister Speaker Sir, Cabinet on 3 June 2025, approved the establishment of a Whole of Government Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Unit under the Office of the Prime Minister. This decision reflects the growing public demand for accountability and measurable results.
- The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems will be key to central to effective governance, enabling evidence-based decision-making across sectors, from infrastructure and healthcare to poverty reduction and community development initiatives. This ensures that policies deliver real impact and empower ordinary citizens.
- Mister Speaker Sir, our national MEL Framework will operationalise Government’s priorities and innovations stipulated through the National Development Plan (2025–2029) and Vision 2050. The MEL Framework will be a practical tool to help Government track progress, improve service delivery, and make better decisions. It aims to ensure transparency, guide resources wisely, and support key goals like reducing poverty and improving the lives of ordinary citizens through evidence-based policymaking.
- Mister Speaker Sir, it not only monitors resource allocation but also the outcomes and impact, ensuring every dollar spent delivers public value, from economic growth projects to social programs that aim to reduce poverty and support everyday citizens.
- To strengthen accountability Mister Speaker Sir, all Permanent Secretaries’ contracts will be aligned with the achievement of NDP targets, and ministries will be required to align their strategic plans, budgets, and reports accordingly.
- A new whole-of-government monitoring system, led by the Office of the Prime Minister in coordination with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), will require regular reporting to inform Cabinet decisions.
- Mister Speaker Sir, to ensure timely oversight at the highest level, the MEL Unit has been established immediately within the Office of the Prime Minister, allowing the Prime Minister and Cabinet to receive real-time updates on the progress of our NDP.
- The MEL Unit will serve as the nerve centre of this new governance approach. It will focus on coordination through harmonising monitoring efforts across ministries to eliminate duplication. While maintaining the national performance dashboard for Cabinet oversight.
- Mister Speaker Sir, the Office of the Prime Minister is working on finalising administrative issues and will coordinate closely with ministries for side transfer of existing monitoring and evaluation officers from within ministries to the MEL Unit to support the implementation of this framework.
- Mister Speaker Sir, this framework necessitates our collective support as it will require support from both sides of this August House. It will work to address inefficiencies and ineffectiveness that have existed from past Governments, it is a mammoth task, but we will be resolute in our resolve because our people demand it.
- Mister Speaker Sir, this is not about adding bureaucratic layers but about strengthening check and balance systems with the aim of making every part of government more effective in delivering results.
Conclusion
- In conclusion Mister Speaker Sir, even though it is in its early days the MEL Framework reflects Government’s ongoing commitment to track its progress, identify gaps and weaknesses, draw lessons and make timely adjustments. Ensuring continuous improvement in service delivery and effectively addressing key priorities such as poverty eradication and uplifting ordinary citizens.
- Mister Speaker Sir, let us take this decisive step together toward a more effective and more accountable governance. The citizens we serve deserve nothing less. The time for talk is over. The era of results-based governance begins today.
Thank you, Mister Speaker Sir.
