1. Excel Based PSIP Project Financial Information Management A Case of Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development

2. Outline Introduction Role of JICA-CEPSIP2 Internal Coordination in the pilot phase Choice of Pilot Project Lessons from Using the Tool Future Plan

3. Introduction From 2013 and with support from JICA, MoFEPD has been implementing project on Capacity Enhancement in Public Sector Investment Programming Phase II. One of activities of CEPSIP2 is to improve PSIP project management tools in number of areas including finance. The MoLHUD is one of the three Ministries in which JICA- CEPSIP2 piloted the use of excel based financial information management tool. There are some lessons worth sharing from the experience of MoLHUD in the pilot phase of using the new financial information management tool.

4. Role of JICA-CEPSIP2 in the Pilot Phase MoLHUD started to pilot the use of the new financial information management tool in February, 2014. The role of JICA-CEPSIP2 team in the process was:  Briefing the Ministry on the new tool through meetings with management, Policy and Planning Unit, Audit Section, accounts and technical officers.  Providing technical advance on how to fill the template and the kind of information required.  Soliciting feedback from the Ministry on what and how to improve the tool.

5. Internal Coordination in the pilot phase The team work was necessary to successfully pilot the tool. Involvement of all sections with interest in the project is necessary. The planning section, technical department, accounts section, and internal audit section worked together.

6. Choice of Pilot Project Any project could qualify for the pilot phase but only two were chosen The two project were chosen on the basis of: i.Are on-going in the PSIP ii.Had budget allocation in the approved estimates iii.Its accounting information was in a format that can be easily be translated into the new tool (i.e. records were already in separate books) iv.To draw some lessons before the use of the tool is extended to other projects

7. Lessons from Using the Tool It easier to report on progress since expenditures are linked with activities, outputs and outcomes It is also useful for management decision making since its easier to notice deviation from planned outputs The tool requires frequent updating hence the accounting officer responsible for managing the tool should not be replaced/changed without building capacity of new officer Collaboration of technical, account, Planning, and management is necessary to ensure better results

8. Future Plan The Ministry has not find significant challenges with the use of the tool As such the Ministry would like extend the use of the tool to all its development projects The Ministry regards the tool as useful for making timely decisions in the management of the project It will be also easier to produce progress report with the tool

9. Thank You