- Evaluation Plan:
- 2015-2019, Afghanistan
- Evaluation Type:
- Final Project
- Planned End Date:
- 03/2018
- Completion Date:
- 03/2018
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- 70,000
Final Evaluation of the project "LOTFA Support to Payroll Management (SPM) and MoIA Police Development (MPD)
| Document | Type | Language | Size | Status | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ToR International Consultant.pdf |
tor | English | 486.28 KB | Posted | 55 |
| LOTFA SPM Project Final Evaluation Report - March 2018.pdf |
report | English | 2613.55 KB | Posted | 255 |
| Title | Final Evaluation of the project "LOTFA Support to Payroll Management (SPM) and MoIA Police Development (MPD) | ||||||||||||
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| Atlas Project Number: | 89137,89620 | ||||||||||||
| Evaluation Plan: | 2015-2019, Afghanistan | ||||||||||||
| Evaluation Type: | Final Project | ||||||||||||
| Status: | Completed | ||||||||||||
| Completion Date: | 03/2018 | ||||||||||||
| Planned End Date: | 03/2018 | ||||||||||||
| Management Response: | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Focus Area: |
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| Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017) |
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| Evaluation Budget(US $): | 70,000 | ||||||||||||
| Source of Funding: | Project resources | ||||||||||||
| Evaluation Expenditure(US $): | 70,000 | ||||||||||||
| Joint Programme: | No | ||||||||||||
| Mandatory Evaluation: | No | ||||||||||||
| Joint Evaluation: | No | ||||||||||||
| Evaluation Team members: |
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| GEF Evaluation: | No | ||||||||||||
| Key Stakeholders: | Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoIA) | ||||||||||||
| Countries: | AFGHANISTAN |
| Lessons | |
|---|---|
| Findings |
| Recommendations | |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Evaluation recommends that a transfer of LOTFA SPM’s payroll functions to the MOIA not take place until such time as all donor conditions are fully met; the MOIA Payroll Unit is fully staffed and trained and the APPS data base is fully functional and deployed in all 34 provinces. |
| 2 | The Evaluation recommends that the LOTFA Board consider revising the MOIA Donor Condition B4 to add a requirement that the MOIA strengthen its capacities for issuing biometric IDs, including timeliness of issuance and replacement; upgrading ID processing facilities in Kabul and creation of “mobile ID units” to service the ID needs of ANP at the provincial level. “Clean” and current IDs are at the root of the payroll process. It is not apparent that the introduction of APPS alone will solve all of MOIA’s ID issues. |
| 3 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project strengthen its links to the President’s office, for purposes of reporting on the readiness of MOIA for a “transition” both to the LOTFA Board and to the President’s office. |
| 4 | The Evaluation respectfully recommends that the LOTFA Donors revisit the conditions proposed by the “Pay Structure and Sustainability Strategy”, and conduct a study to see if the pay increase and incentives approved by the LOTFA Board at its December 2017 meeting have sufficiently addressed the issues that were raised/used as the justification. |
| 5 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project review the format and content of reporting at TWG meetings so as to include an “Executive Summary” of each TWG meeting, and its presentations and minutes with key “action points” identified. TWGs should include tracking of legislative updates in their reports. The reform of the Police Inherent Law is a topic that should receive regular reporting within SPM-TWG meetings. |
| 6 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project monitor more extensively against CPD Outcome 2 going forward. UNDP might also consider at an appropriate time adding more detailed indicators in LOTFA projects for female ANP/GDPDC officers; women and children of surviving ANP killed in action and/or other indicators for most vulnerable groups. The “One UN” Results Matrix (from which the CPD derives) and/or future SPM AWP might be appropriate places for UNDP to consider placing such indicators. |
| 7 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project explore synergies with UNDP’s Afghanistan Access to Justice Project (AA2J)—particularly to enable the SPM Project to benefit from data from the AA2J Legal Aid Grant Facility (which offers legal aid to vulnerable groups across 8 of Afghanistan’s provinces) in order to better assess the link between payroll management for ANP and citizen’s experiences and perceptions of ANP and security. |
| 8 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA SPM Project continue to advocate with MOIA/ANP that more female officers be assigned to units having payroll functions. |
| 9 | The Evaluation recommends that MOIA and the SPM Project immediately prepare an inventory of training needs of all female ANP/GDPCD personnel having responsibility for the payroll process and develop a dedicated training plan and schedule for these female personnel. If ANP has not assigned any female offices to units or WEPS data entry and has not presented female officers for training, this fact should be clearly documented for each training; including a statement from MOIA as to why ANP could not supply female officers for such training. |
| 10 | The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project implement a training plan for the Payroll Procedures Manual in all 34 provinces in 2018. |
| 11 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board review the SPM Project’s “twinning” of MOIA staff, including how individual MOIA staff have been tasked by the SPM Project; a review of each MOIA twinned staff member’s academic credentials and professional background; and the extent to which SPM Project “twinning” has aligned with the approved MOIA Payroll Unit Plan and Payroll Unit Capacity Building Plan. UNDP should ensure that the SPM Project “twinning” is sufficiently robust as to ensure a meaningful opportunity for MOIA to assume the non-fiduciary aspects of the payroll process. The twining programme going forward should take into account also the change over from WEPS to APPS that is scheduled to take place in 2018. The LOTFA Board, UNDP and the SPM Project should continue to advocate with MOIA for MOIA to hire IT qualified staff and refer them to the SPM Project for training and “twinning”. |
| 12 | The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project incorporate enhanced “anti-corruption” outputs and activities (and/or indicators) in its programming and that the MOIA take all necessary steps –per MOIA Donor Condition B12—to ensure that the MA findings pointing to possible fraud or corruption within the MOIA or ANP—specifically related to and involving the payroll process—are investigated by the Inspector General Office (IGO) and violators referred to the Attorney General of Afghanistan for prosecution. Any SPM outputs in this regard should be closely coordinated with MPD Project outputs and activities for the IGO to bolster MOIA internal audit capacity and capability and the capacity of the anti-corruption cell within the IGO. |
| 13 | The Evaluation recommends that the MOIA OIG and MA more closely cooperate and coordinate and that the LOTFA Board expand the scope of the MA’s work including possibly extending the duration of the MA’s time spent in each province. |
| 14 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board advocate with CSTC-A to accelerate the piloting of the APPS database to achieve its full deployment by mid-2018; including conducting required APPS orientation and training sessions for MOIA staff at central and provincial levels. |
| 15 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board advocate strongly with GIROA/MOIA that a comprehensive forensic audit of the MOIA (ANP) payroll system be completed within 6 months following full operability and deployment of the APPS system, but in any event, that such audit be completed by no later than 01 April 2019. It is envisioned that such an audit would be more comprehensive and wide-ranging than the typical “sampling” conducted by the MA in its monthly reports. This is viewed as necessary to establish a new “baseline” to inform LOTFA and GIROA decision-making and future SPM programming at the point in time at which the APPS system is made fully operational. |
| 16 | The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project probe the reasons underlying ANP willingness (or lack thereof) to use MM platforms. It is recommended that, if necessary, the SPM Project institute a new round of trainings for Provincial ANP Commanders; PPQH; PFOs and PHROs with the objective of expanding the percentage of ANP paid through the Mobile Money mechanism and to become familiar with the PERSTAT template. |
| 17 | The Evaluation recommends that the MOIA facilitate continued access to the AHRIMS database to enable SPM Project staff to crosscheck AHRIMS records against data in WEPS to enhance the integrity of WEPS legacy data transferred to CSTC-A in connection with the development of APPS. |
| 18 | The Evaluation recommends that MOIA continue to cooperate with the SPM Project to implement the DRR system for WEPS. MOIA should give utmost priority to the DRR system establishment. |
| 19 | The Evaluation recommends that going forward, LOTFA-SPM Project begin to report to the LOTFA board on the cyber-security measures and policies surrounding the payroll process and implemented by MOIA and MOF surrounding the payroll process. This could include updates and analysis on how MOIA and MOF cyber security measures and policies protect the security of the payroll process and data; including reporting on MOF’s “vetting” of GIROA’s “up stream” counter-parts such as Da Afghanistan Bank and commercial correspondent banks through which payments are distributed. While this is currently not a function of the LOTFA-SPM project, cyber-security is a significant issue. |
| 20 | The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project assess the manner and quality of engagement of SPM staff with MOIA senior “uniformed” officers and ensure that relations with MOIA uniformed staff are conducted with respect and courtesy. |
| 21 | The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project educate ANP and their family members about the pay process; pay slips and entitlements via radio and TV broadcasts in addition to distributing printed materials. |
1. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that a transfer of LOTFA SPM’s payroll functions to the MOIA not take place until such time as all donor conditions are fully met; the MOIA Payroll Unit is fully staffed and trained and the APPS data base is fully functional and deployed in all 34 provinces.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The decision to transfer LOTFA SPM’s payroll functions rests with the LOTFA project board. Achieving the conditions of the Donors Conditions Monitoring framework for the transfer of payroll functions to the MOIA would be the basis of a decision to transfer to payroll functions to the MOIA.The role of UNDP would be to advise the project board on the fulfillment of these conditions.
Fulfillment of the donor conditions will mean that MOIA has sufficient organizational and human capacity to successfully carry out the payroll functions [Donor Condition 11 and 12) and the APPS system is fully functional and deployed in all provinces.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carry out Risk and Accountability Assessment of WEPS-APPS transfer
[Added: 2018/10/07] |
ROLHSU | 2018/06 | Completed |
2. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the LOTFA Board consider revising the MOIA Donor Condition B4 to add a requirement that the MOIA strengthen its capacities for issuing biometric IDs, including timeliness of issuance and replacement; upgrading ID processing facilities in Kabul and creation of “mobile ID units” to service the ID needs of ANP at the provincial level. “Clean” and current IDs are at the root of the payroll process. It is not apparent that the introduction of APPS alone will solve all of MOIA’s ID issues.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The LOTFA Donors’ decision to pay only the PAI (Personnel Asset Inventory) verified ANPs since April 2018 has resolved this issue. The PAI is a MOIA led process supported by CSTC-A which requires the ANP personnel to biometrically register, complete 20 mandatory personal information fields, and obtain an ANP identification card (ID). The enforcement of LOTFA donors’ restriction of salary payment to only police that have been registered through PAI has yielded positive results. As of 30 August 2018, only 8,657 police officer were not registered and salary payment for those stopped pending their registration through PAI.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate the recommendation to the donors in LOTFA donors and UNDP monthly meetings.
[Added: 2018/10/07] |
ROLHSU | 2018/06 | Completed |
3. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project strengthen its links to the President’s office, for purposes of reporting on the readiness of MOIA for a “transition” both to the LOTFA Board and to the President’s office.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
UNDP enjoyed cordial relationships with the Presidential Advisor, Mr. Malikzai, before he left his office. UNDP agrees to this recommendation and seeks ways to strengthen working relations with the President’s office on LOTFA and in particular, payroll transition issues.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The UNDP leadership will consult the MOIA Minister to identify a point of contact in the President’s office.
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/03] |
ROLHSU | 2019/06 | Initiated | The ROLH unit had limited progress in this regard. Also, the UNDP management has been busy setting up the new LOTFA, which could prove an effective instrument to engage with Government counterparts including the Presidential office |
4. Recommendation:
The Evaluation respectfully recommends that the LOTFA Donors revisit the conditions proposed by the “Pay Structure and Sustainability Strategy”, and conduct a study to see if the pay increase and incentives approved by the LOTFA Board at its December 2017 meeting have sufficiently addressed the issues that were raised/used as the justification.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
UNDP will communicate this recommendation to the LOTFA donors to revisit the conditions proposed by the “Pay Structure and Sustainability Strategy” and conduct a study to ascertain whether the pay increase and incentives approved by the LOTFA Board at its December 2017 meeting have sufficiently addressed the issues that were raised/used as the justification.
The pay award approved by The LOTFA donors at the December 2017 project board meeting had no link with the pay structure and sustainability study. UNDP has shared the pay structure report with LOTFA donors and made presentations on the report to them prior to their approval of the pay awards in December 2017.
Key Actions:
5. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project review the format and content of reporting at TWG meetings so as to include an “Executive Summary” of each TWG meeting, and its presentations and minutes with key “action points” identified. TWGs should include tracking of legislative updates in their reports. The reform of the Police Inherent Law is a topic that should receive regular reporting within SPM-TWG meetings.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting minutes structure was revised in 2016 to reflect ‘action points’ and ‘who should do what and by when’, in addition, the minutes of the previous meeting are reviewed by members before proceeding with other agenda items. The recommendation on improving the contents of the presentations/reports is well noted and the project will make all efforts to capture relevant topical issues where possible. TWGs are not designed for discussing legislative issues but will endeavor to capture such matters in the meeting minutes should such topics be discussed at any TWG meeting
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPM project to undertake holistic review of the TWG presentations and ensure that these capture relevant topical issues and reflect results achieved
[Added: 2018/10/07] |
SPM project management | 2018/07 | Completed | The TWG minutes are reflecting action points and these are reviewed at subsequent meetings |
6. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project monitor more extensively against CPD Outcome 2 going forward. UNDP might also consider at an appropriate time adding more detailed indicators in LOTFA projects for female ANP/GDPDC officers; women and children of surviving ANP killed in action and/or other indicators for most vulnerable groups. The “One UN” Results Matrix (from which the CPD derives) and/or future SPM AWP might be appropriate places for UNDP to consider placing such indicators.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
UNDP would consider adding more detailed indicators in LOTFA projects for female ANP/GDPDP officers; women and children of surviving ANP killed in action and/or other indicators for most vulnerable groups when designing new security sector projects. UNDP would also establish a proper Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to assess the impact of UNDP projects on key security and rule of law indicators.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Develop Monitoring and Evaluation System for LOTFA moving forward.
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
ROLHSU | 2019/06 | Initiated | Work on the strategy is on going. |
7. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project explore synergies with UNDP’s Afghanistan Access to Justice Project (AA2J)—particularly to enable the SPM Project to benefit from data from the AA2J Legal Aid Grant Facility (which offers legal aid to vulnerable groups across 8 of Afghanistan’s provinces) in order to better assess the link between payroll management for ANP and citizen’s experiences and perceptions of ANP and security.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The revised LOTFA Terms of Reference, currently under review, would strengthen the linkages between different UNDP Rule of Law projects and enable cross-project information sharing for management decisions including the assessment of ANP performance on the rule of law and security.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the LOTFA M&E System; conduct the baseline assessment surveys and LOTFA impact evaluation surveys.
[Added: 2018/10/07] |
ROLHU | 2019/12 | Initiated |
8. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA SPM Project continue to advocate with MOIA/ANP that more female officers be assigned to units having payroll functions.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
SPM will advocate with the MOIA General Directorates of Personnel, and Finance and Budget to assign more women into payroll functions- human resources and finance. SPM will also collaborate with the General Directorate of Gender to join the campaign for inclusion of more women in payroll functions. Lastly, SPM will also coordinate with CSTC-A which pays female incentives to advocate for inclusion of women in payroll functions, and the same women could be supporting payroll processing in APPS later.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liaison with MOIA GDOP, CSTC-A, MOIA Gender dept.
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM project management | 2019/12 | Initiated | It is an ongoing activity. |
9. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that MOIA and the SPM Project immediately prepare an inventory of training needs of all female ANP/GDPCD personnel having responsibility for the payroll process and develop a dedicated training plan and schedule for these female personnel. If ANP has not assigned any female offices to units or WEPS data entry and has not presented female officers for training, this fact should be clearly documented for each training; including a statement from MOIA as to why ANP could not supply female officers for such training.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The SPM project has always encouraged the MOIA to have female police in payroll management, but this effort has not yet been successful. The project is always willing to provide training on payroll management to female police who would be deployed to payroll management. The GDPDC has 3 female police in payroll management and over the years SPM has included those in the training programs and they have benefitted from several of our trainings. Our training reports always indicate the fact that no female staff were trained.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project to present the case for more female police to be involved in payroll management at subsequent TWG meetings where IP and donors meet.
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM Project Management | 2019/12 | Initiated | It is an ongoing activity. |
10. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project implement a training plan for the Payroll Procedures Manual in all 34 provinces in 2018.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The SPM project has already prepared a comprehensive training plan which covers all manuals recently produced for MOIA—i.e. payroll procedures manual; accounting manual; and internal controls policy manual. The training programs are being delivered to all 34 provinces and the manuals will be distributed to each and every payroll station in all 34 provinces.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll-out training to all provincial finance officers; human resource officers and staff of the general directorate of finance ad budget
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM project Capacity Building team | 2018/12 | Completed | Training shall be delivered in collaboration with MOIA’s general directorate of finance and budget and the policy directorate. The Internal control policy is not approved and the training is also pending. |
11. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board review the SPM Project’s “twinning” of MOIA staff, including how individual MOIA staff have been tasked by the SPM Project; a review of each MOIA twinned staff member’s academic credentials and professional background; and the extent to which SPM Project “twinning” has aligned with the approved MOIA Payroll Unit Plan and Payroll Unit Capacity Building Plan. UNDP should ensure that the SPM Project “twinning” is sufficiently robust as to ensure a meaningful opportunity for MOIA to assume the non-fiduciary aspects of the payroll process. The twining programme going forward should take into account also the change over from WEPS to APPS that is scheduled to take place in 2018. The LOTFA Board, UNDP and the SPM Project should continue to advocate with MOIA for MOIA to hire IT qualified staff and refer them to the SPM Project for training and “twinning”.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The SPM initially requested 6 MOIA staff –2 Finance staff; 2 HR staff; and 2 IT staff –to be co-located with the SPM staff. The MOIA provided only 4 staff—2 HR staff and 2 Finance staff. Later, 2 of the HR staff got withdrawn. Due to lack of technically competent staff in MOIA they could not sponsor any IT-qualified staff to co-locate with the WEPS team. The SPM Project has had a good working relationship with the MOIA staff, working with them on daily basis. he SPM project is working with the MOIA finance and budget directorate to ensure that the APPS system achieves full operational capability and all the relevant staff can receive appropriate training in time for the change over from WEPS to APPS later in the year-2018. It is important to note that the payroll unit plan is not the basis for the ‘twinning ‘plan. Rather the payroll unit plan provides for recruitment and on-the-job training of the relevant MOIA staff for payroll management. 4 of the 5 positions recommended for recruitment have been filled and the recruited staff are part of the twinning.
Key Actions:
12. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project incorporate enhanced “anti-corruption” outputs and activities (and/or indicators) in its programming and that the MOIA take all necessary steps –per MOIA Donor Condition B12—to ensure that the MA findings pointing to possible fraud or corruption within the MOIA or ANP—specifically related to and involving the payroll process—are investigated by the Inspector General Office (IGO) and violators referred to the Attorney General of Afghanistan for prosecution. Any SPM outputs in this regard should be closely coordinated with MPD Project outputs and activities for the IGO to bolster MOIA internal audit capacity and capability and the capacity of the anti-corruption cell within the IGO.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
There is already an ongoing collaboration between the SPM project, the OIG and the MPD project [*Note, the MPD Project closed on 30 June 2018 and will be replaced by 3 projects; currently, the Transitional Support to the MOIA Project (TSM) is continuing support to the OIG] on corruption related findings on the payroll. SPM has already conducted some training for the civilian staff of the OIG on payroll business processes and key control/risk points. These auditors are now engaged in routine payroll auditing and often share findings with SPM. SPM has supported the MPD project in developing audit tools for the OIG and other capacity building programs. With support from MPD, an audit committee has been formed with H.E the Minister of Interior Affairs as chair and the IG as secretary. CSTC-A, and MOIA head of intelligence are members, Head of legal and UNDP/ LOTFA in advisory capacity. The purpose of this committee is to review findings of the OIG and support implementation of recommendations, including reference of criminal findings for to the Attorney General for prosecution.
SPM will continue to support the TSM Project in developing audit tools and building the capacity of the OIG to perform audit to international standards level. Furthermore, SPM will provide information to the OIG where corruption cases are suspected such as cases of M16s generated outside WEPS, or multiple payments to individuals for days exceeding 360 in a 12-month period.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPM shall continue to share MA’s monthly reports with OIG
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM Quality Assurance team | 2018/12 | Completed | Monthly MA reports will be shared with OIG- It is an ongoing activity, whereas the report is being submitted on monthly basis. |
13. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the MOIA OIG and MA more closely cooperate and coordinate and that the LOTFA Board expand the scope of the MA’s work including possibly extending the duration of the MA’s time spent in each province.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The current SPM project coordination scope of work is limited to sharing the final reports of the MA findings with the OIG office. The MA reports are shared with the office of the inspector general (OIG) and key findings of the report related to the OIG office are highlight for OIG follow up. UNDP would present this recommendation to SPM Technical Working Group to assess the scope of MA’s work including their duration of work in each province.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present the recommendation to SPM TWG to assess the MA’s scope of work and duration in each province
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM Project Management team. | 2019/06 | Initiated |
14. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board advocate with CSTC-A to accelerate the piloting of the APPS database to achieve its full deployment by mid-2018; including conducting required APPS orientation and training sessions for MOIA staff at central and provincial levels.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
CSTC-A cancelled the pilot testing of the APPS and plans to launch APPS in its full operational capability by the end of November 2018. UNDP has persuaded CSTC-A through its WEPS-APPS technical committee to provide training on APPS to SPM teams, which has thus far resulted in an orientation training on APPS. CSTC-A has informed LOTFA donors and UNDP that training of MOIA staff is ongoing.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establish and work through a technical committee with CSTC-A to proactively work on Fiduciary Risk and Management related to WEPS-APPS transfer including training of MOIA and UNPD staff.
[Added: 2018/10/07] |
ROLHSU | 2018/04 | Completed | The committee was established in April 2018 and has been working on WEPS-APPS transfer related issues. |
15. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the LOTFA Board advocate strongly with GIROA/MOIA that a comprehensive forensic audit of the MOIA (ANP) payroll system be completed within 6 months following full operability and deployment of the APPS system, but in any event, that such audit be completed by no later than 01 April 2019. It is envisioned that such an audit would be more comprehensive and wide-ranging than the typical “sampling” conducted by the MA in its monthly reports. This is viewed as necessary to establish a new “baseline” to inform LOTFA and GIROA decision-making and future SPM programming at the point in time at which the APPS system is made fully operational.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
This recommendation is well noted. UNDP will advocate with LOTFA project board to carry out a comprehensive forensic audit of MOIA payroll system after the transfer WEPS to APPS is completed. However, UNDP’s engagement would depend on how different the role of UNDP /SPM would be after the transfer of payroll processing from WEPS to APPS.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present the recommendation to SPM TWG to recommend to LOTFA project board to carry out a forensic audit of MOIA payroll system.
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
ROLHSU | 2019/09 | Initiated |
16. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project probe the reasons underlying ANP willingness (or lack thereof) to use MM platforms. It is recommended that, if necessary, the SPM Project institute a new round of trainings for Provincial ANP Commanders; PPQH; PFOs and PHROs with the objective of expanding the percentage of ANP paid through the Mobile Money mechanism and to become familiar with the PERSTAT template.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
Although the use of MM has not expanded to the extent expected, there has been expansion in EFT, which coupled with the transfer of ABP (which operate in the remote parts of the country, without banking facilities), has led to a decline in the use of the TA to 7% from 9%. The main challenges affecting the expansion of MM require a political solution by the MOIA leadership. Training on the use of PERSTAT forms were completed and there are no problems.
Key Actions:
17. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the MOIA facilitate continued access to the AHRIMS database to enable SPM Project staff to crosscheck AHRIMS records against data in WEPS to enhance the integrity of WEPS legacy data transferred to CSTC-A in connection with the development of APPS.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
Given the coming of APPS in November 2018 and the implementation of the Personnel Assets Inventory (PAI), the need to push for access to AHRIMS records has become redundant. The PAI enforcement is actually proving even more effective than having records of the AHRIMS system—which would not prove the existence of an ANP more than PAI does.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPM Staff able to access HR information from APPS
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
ROLHSU | 2019/06 | Initiated | This activity will be achieved by the time the database for APPS is reconciled against WEPS data. |
18. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that MOIA continue to cooperate with the SPM Project to implement the DRR system for WEPS. MOIA should give utmost priority to the DRR system establishment.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The MOIA has closely cooperated with the SPM Project for this activity. SPM has now awarded the contract to implement the DRR which will be located at the MOIA Training General Command. SPM project manager has held a meeting with the Commander of the training general command and he has promised maximum cooperation and support to the process. There are no further issues related to this recommendation.
Key Actions:
19. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that going forward, LOTFA-SPM Project begin to report to the LOTFA board on the cyber-security measures and policies surrounding the payroll process and implemented by MOIA and MOF surrounding the payroll process. This could include updates and analysis on how MOIA and MOF cyber security measures and policies protect the security of the payroll process and data; including reporting on MOF’s “vetting” of GIROA’s “up stream” counter-parts such as Da Afghanistan Bank and commercial correspondent banks through which payments are distributed. While this is currently not a function of the LOTFA-SPM project, cyber-security is a significant issue.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
We appreciate the importance of cyber security and the potential impacts it could pose to the payroll system. However, given the efforts of the SPM project in terms of implementing the DRR, coupled with the numerous security and application controls implemented by SPM project, we believe there is no current need for the project to be involved in cyber security. Notwithstanding the project shall remain vigilant and carefully monitor IT security issues.
Key Actions:
20. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that UNDP and the SPM Project assess the manner and quality of engagement of SPM staff with MOIA senior “uniformed” officers and ensure that relations with MOIA uniformed staff are conducted with respect and courtesy.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
The SPM project notes this recommendation. It is important to note that since the submission of the draft evaluation report, SPM has been reviewing the basis of this allegation from the MOIA and found that it emanated from the established UNDP security protocols to enter SPM offices —having to be subjected to 100% check and not allowed to enter with weapons, etc. That is a standard UNDP security protocols which the project cannot compromise. Notwithstanding, the SPM project manager has met with all project staff and brought out this matter and advised everyone to show maximum respect to all MOIA staff regardless of uniformed or civilian.
Key Actions:
21. Recommendation:
The Evaluation recommends that the SPM Project educate ANP and their family members about the pay process; pay slips and entitlements via radio and TV broadcasts in addition to distributing printed materials.
Management Response: [Added: 2018/10/07]
As highlighted during the evaluation, SPM attempted to carry out radio talks in the past but the quotations provided by the vendors were too expensive and therefore we had to abandon the activity. Notwithstanding, the SPM project has made some interventions including printed communication materials; notes produced into pocket-size note booklets which contain valuable information on salary and other related benefits and how Police can reach out to the SPM team in case of any discrepancies. This will be distributed across all 34 provinces.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPM Capacity Building team to distribute the sensitization materials across all 34 provinces, in coordination with MOIA logistics department and GDOP
[Added: 2018/10/07] [Last Updated: 2018/12/09] |
SPM Capacity Building team | 2018/12 | Completed | 40,000 booklets have been printed and distributed to all 34 provinces. |