Public Expenditure Management Systems (LR0024)

Performance indicators
Number of additional M&As rolling out IFMIS as well as technical and functional support (skills and hardware)
Frequency of publication of financial data and number of persons accessing the data

For Commitment details, see Liberia Progress Report 2015-2017.

4.3 Expand Integration of financial management systems (IFMIS) to make the provision of public financial information easier

MoF with support from CEMESP, CUPPADL, CENTAL, LMC; 15 July 2015 – 30 June 2016).

Milestones:

· 4.3.1 Extend coverage of IFMIS to an additional 17 ministries & agencies and provide functional/technical support (Hardware & software)

· 4.3.2. Efforts to ensure that this financial data is shared publicly

· 4.3.3 Create public awareness on the IFMIS program

Commitment Aim:

This commitment is designed to facilitate the provision of public financial management information through the expansion of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) across 17 additional government ministries and agencies. The commitment does not specify how financial data will be publicly shared and which type of awareness-raising activities will be pursued. As written, the commitment has a minor potential impact as it is not clear how the expansion of IFMIS will facilitate the provision of financial information to the citizens.

Status

Midterm: Limited

According to the government self-assessment report, IFMIS coverage had been extended to an additional 17 ministries and agencies. Additionally, hardware and software technical support was given to 19 ministries, agencies and commissions. However, partner CSOs have identified problems with linking financial data to the IFMIS system, due to stalled discussions within the public administration bureaucracy over contracting and paying technical engineers. For this reason, financial data have not been published in a public user-interface, and most progress has involved completing technical updates to the IFMIS system, with no public-facing element.

End-of-Term: Limited

In June 2017, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning hired the services of a consultant to upgrade and scale IFMIS to support all county service centers in the Republic of Liberia and more than 100 ministries, agencies and commissions. 32 additional MACs have been integrated on IFMIS and four counties have been integrated to use the system; namely Nimba, Margibi, Grand Bassa and Bomi.[Note55: Liberia annual assessment report: 2015-2017.] Although technical internal procedures and updates have been completed, the public user-interface cannot be accessed.[Note56: Interview with LOFANET representatives, November 2017.]

Did it Open Government?

Access to Information: Did Not Change

The implementation of IFMIS has only impacted on the government’s internal technical procedures regarding the provision of financial information. Consulted CSOs expressed that they could not access financial data through the online platform. Although they explained that they could obtain this information in the county service centers upon request, this information was already available prior to the implementation of this commitment.[Note57: Interview with LOFANET representatives, November 2017.]

Carried Forward?

This commitment was not carried forward.