Abstract:
Monitoring and evaluation form an integral part of the project cycle and goodmanagement
practice. Monitoring and evaluation is fundamental to achieving project
goals, objectives and success. The study examines monitoring and evaluation, project
performance and socio-economic development of selected areas in Northern Region,
Ghana. The study adopted-quasi-experimental design with a mixed method. The study
used purposive and convenience sampling techniques to select the study participa~ts.
The instruments used for the data collection were questiollilaire and interview guide.
The study used SPSS version 24 to process the data with descriptive statistics,
correlation and comparative analysis of the study variables. It further used regression
analysis and structure equation model to determine the relationship between the
monitoring and evaluation, project performance and socioeconomic development. The
study revealed that the monitoring teams conducted monitoring and evaluation of their
projects, however the monitoring teams did not have formal training in monitoring and
evaluation. Additionally, the study revealed that monitoring and evaluations are
mandatory and are carried out in the MMDAs. The study further reveaied that the
determinants of M&E include; Organizational Management/leadership, Allocation of
Timelines, and Training of Employees. The results show that M&E teams experience
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difficulties in using the M&E tools and methods and lack of qualified personnel to
handle the.M&E tools. The study shows that Access to education, Access to Health and
Economic activities are the effects of M&E on socio economic development in the
selected Municipalities. An integrated system of all actors in the chain ofM&E model
is developed to enhance accelerated socioeconomic development in the selected
municipalities in Northern Region. The study recommends that Ministry of Local
Government and Rural Development should employ professionals in monitoring and
evaluation to handle monitoring issues in the MMDAs. Staff of the MMDAs and key
stakeholders in the communities should be trained on the different types of monitoring
and evaluation tools and how to use these tools during project implementation.
Government, the MMDAs and donors should put in more fmancial resources to take
care of M&E at the early stage of the project initiation. Government should also
decentralize the recruitment of special needs staff like the M&E experts to carry out
monitoring and evaluation at the MMDAs level to give management the opportunity to
employ them when the need arises.
