Four key projects: ADB sends mission to ascertain complaints’ eligibility

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has dispatched its Accountability Mission to ascertain eligibility of complaints about four key projects in Pakistan including Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transport Corridor Project, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

The Asian Development Bank, sources said, in coordination with the Pakistan Resident Mission, has fielded: (i) Review and Assessment Mission for complaints on Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Project, supporting PPP investments in Sindh; and (ii) Problem Solving and Monitoring Mission for complaints on Pehur high extension project (KP) and MFF power transmission enhancement investment program ( tranche 3).

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The Mission is comprised of staff from Accountability Mechanism Office and the Special Project Facilitator (OSPF), Imrana Jalal, Special Project Facilitator, Viswanathan Ramasubra-manian, Senior Facilitation Specialist, Olivia Rosita Llanillo, Senior Assessment and Facilitation Officer, Wilfredo Agliam, Associate Facilitation Coordinator, and Ahmed Bashir, OSPF’s National Facilitator based in Pakistan.

The OSPF Mission is conducting in-depth consultations and monitoring the complaints’ lodged for problem solving deemed eligible, with various stakeholders like complainants, executing and implementing agencies as well as project staff from the Pakistan Resident Mission to develop a mutually acceptable course of actions to resolve the complaints.

According to the ADB, several complaints on Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transport Corridor Project and Jalalpur Irrigation Project were lodged for problem-solving but deemed ineligible due to lack of good faith efforts and forwarded to CWRD/ PRM. OSPF also plans to include a site visit on these two complaints.

The ADB maintains that problem solving function starts with the consideration of the eligibility of the complaints; if accepted the focus will be on seeking agreement among all the parties involved such as the complainant, project implementer, developing member country government or private sector sponsor and ADB.

Currently, OSPF is managing four eligible complaints from Pakistan, as well as, monitoring eight ineligible complaints forwarded to CWRD/ PRM for problem-solving.

The review and assessment phase of the problem-solving process includes the following activities: (i) the review may include site visits, interviews and meetings with complainants, borrowers and other as deemed helpful and beneficial by the Special Project Facilitator (SPF); (ii) Office of Special Project Facilitator obtains information from the operations department and, if necessary, requests their advice and support and ; (iii) Office of Special Project Facilitator fields fact-finding mission on its own initiative or participates, in consultation with the operation department, in a special project administration mission of the operation department.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023