SIERRA LEONE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE ( SLARI)
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
BY
USMAN C. CONTEH
DIRECTOR ,PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT/HRMO
26 TH – 28 TH OCTOBER, 2015

1. BACKGROUND OF PM IN S/L
2. REASONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PM
3. MANAGEMENT OF PM
4. CASCADING OF PERFORMANCE CONTRACT IN
THE PUBLIC SERVICE
5. BENEFITS OF PM
6. CHALLENGES OF PM SYSTEM
7. CONCLUSION

UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT
P M is a freely negotiated performance agreement between the employer and employees that clearly spells out mutual performance obligations
It is a method used to measure& improve the effectiveness of people in a workplace (HBE)

UNDERSTANDING PM – Cont.
P Ma system of:
• setting goals, objectives and targets
• evaluating performance against set targets and deliverables and
• providing feedback in order to improve the overall performance of an organization .

BACKGROUND OF PM IN S/L
• In S/L context , particularly in the Civil Service, the
Annual Confidential Report has been in existence since colonial administration.
• The earliest attempt to introduce performance-based management was during the 2001 fiscal year when the
Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) was introduced.
• The MTEF aims at integrating strategic planning with the budget framework to ensure results-based public expenditure management process.

BACKGROUND OF PM IN S/L CONT.
• This new framework requires MDAs to include in their budget proposals a Strategic Plan that articulates the
• vision,
• mission,
• objectives,
• activities and
• outputs expected to be produced over a 3-year period using the human and financial resources requested.

BACKGROUND OF PM IN S/L CONT.
The MTEF therefore laid the foundation for the introduction of performance management in the governance of public sector

• In 2008,
PM was given a new drive when HE the President, Dr.
Ernest Bai Koroma, introduced the system of Performance
Contracts with his Ministers.
• Performance Contract is a tool used to measure the performance of Ministries in public service delivery.
• The performance of Ministries is tagged by the indicators in their Performance Tracking Tables (PTTs).

 This system of performance standards and targets for
Sectors, MDAs and individuals was also anchored in the
Agenda for Prosperity and the Public Sector Reform
Programme of GOSL.
 AII Ministers sign annual performance contracts with HE the President that monitors their performance in delivering agreed targets that contribute towards the achievement of key GOSL priorities.

• Responsibility for the achievement of these targets therefore depends on the performance of staff at various levels within the
MDAs
• Hence, the need to hold accountable all members of the team for the performance of the MDA.
• This led to the introduction of an Integrated Performance
Management System in 2011 that cascaded the performance contracts for Ministers to 69 senior staff members in 7 pilot MDAs for a start.
• In October 2011 PMD was established at HRMO to lead on cascading PMS in the civil service;

REASONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PM
 Part of a broader public sector reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness in the management of public affairs with reduced costs
 Performance contracting is used as a management tool to assist public sector executives and policy makers to define responsibilities and expectations between the government and the public servants to achieve mutually agreed goals

REASONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PM
 Improve on service delivery to the public by ensuring that top level managers are accountable for results
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Reverse the decline in efficiency and ensure that resources are focused on the attainment of key national policy priorities of the government.
Institutionalize performance oriented culture in the public service through the introduction of an objective performance appraisal system
Link reward to measurable performance
Strengthen and clarify the obligations required of the government and its employees in order to achieve agreed targets

MANAGEMENT OF P M IN SIERRA LEONE
 There are three key institutions that spearhead
Performance Management in the Sierra Leone
Public Sector .
1. Office of the President/Office of Chief of
Staff
2. Cabinet Secretariat and
3. Human Resource Management Office

 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
 This office through its Performance
Management Service Delivery Directorate is in charge of all Institutional Contracts that
Ministers, Local Councils, Commissions,
SOEs and Tertiary Institutions sign with H E the President.

THE CABINET SECRETARIAT
 This office through its Performance Management Unit is in charge of signing Performance contracts with all Civil
Servants from grades 11 and above (this include PSs, PHs,
Directors etc.)
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFFICE
 This office through its Performance Management
Directorate is charged with the responsibility of managing
Performance Management across the Civil Service. It builds the capacity of Civil Servants on Performance Management and appraises Civil Servants from grades 1 – 10

CASCADING OF PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
INSTITUTIONAL/MINISTERIAL
OPERATING UNIT
DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL
UNIT LEVEL
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

1. At the Institutional level for MDAs, the Minister signs on behalf of the Ministry.
2. At the operating level, the Permanent Secretary and Professional Head hive their own targets from the Minister’s contract
3. At the Departmental Level, based on the mandate of each departments they too hive their targets from either the Minister, PS or PH
4. Units within departments or divisions also carve their own targets based on their mandates
5. Finally individuals either within the department or unit set their performance targets based on their job descriptions/ schedule of duties for the year.

BENEFITS OF PMS- TO INDIVIDUAL
• Your organizational goals are made clear to you
• You know what is expected of you.
• You know what you need to do to meet your objectives.
• You can discuss with your supervisor any pertinent issue(s) pertaining to performance in your job.
• You can identify opportunities for selfdevelopment.

BENEFITS- TO SUPERVISOR
• You can build closer working relationship with your staff based on mutual understanding, trust and respect.
• You can identify problem areas more easily and initiate remedial action accordingly.
• You can spend quality time with appraisee, enhance free flow of information and promote collective decision-making.

BENEFITS- TO ORGANISATION
• Provides organisation with accurate information on how it views the job and the expectations associated with it.
• Implements focused management linked to an early warning system in the organisation.
• Understands the roles, duties and responsibilities of staff
• Develops the human resource of the organisation
• Provides services in an efficient, effective and economic manner

CHALLENGES OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
• Timely release of budgetary allocations across
Government MDAs.
• Weak capacity in the MDAs particularly training and equipment
• Absence of job descriptions for a significant number of staff in MDAs
• Lack of cooperation and collaboration
• Lack of clarity of roles
• Weak IT knowledge/background in the public service

CHALLENGES TO PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM CONT….
• Poor motivation/reward of civil servants
• Weak nexus between MDA Strategic/Work Plans and job descriptions
• The absence of reward for performance and sanction for non-performance
• The lack of a performance culture in the public service