[ 2017-10-04 ]

Looters of state cash through sole sourcing will be punished – Adwoa Safo warns
The Minister of State in charge of Public
Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has issued a
warning to all public and civil servants involved
in procurement processes to be wary of the Public
Procurement Act since any breach of that law will
attract severe sanctions.

With particular reference to sole sourcing, she
said under the leadership of President Nana Addo
Akufo-Addo, the era where state looting through
the abuse of such method is “now a thing of the
past as all efforts are being made to investigate
and bring closure to some of these issues.”

“I must sternly warn that whoever will be found
culpable will be dealt with in accordance with the
law,” Ms Safo emphasized.

She made this observation when addressing
colleague ministers, Head of Civil Service, Chief
Executive of the Public Procurement Authority, and
professionals of the procurement and supply chain
at a summit in Accra last Tuesday. This year’s
event which was organized by the Procurement and
Supply Chain Department of the Civil Service was
under the theme: ‘Effective procurement as a
tool for job creation’.

Commenting further, the Dome-Kwabenya Member of
Parliament, who is also the Deputy Majority
Leader, said the government mindful of the abuse
of the procurement methods, especially, sole
sourcing, will leave no stone unturned to ensuring
that the right structures are in place to allow
for the proper functioning of public procurement
in the country.

“My ministry will keep collaborating with all
state actors in the procurement and supply chain
environment including the Public Procurement
Authority, The Civil Service, the Local Government
Service, the Government and all stakeholders to
ensure that training and skills development are an
integral part of policy,” she posited.

She used the occasion to remind the gathering
about some amendments made to the Public
Procurement Act, Act 663 of 2003, noting that the
changes are meant to provide for decentralized
procurement which includes new provisions from the
revised United Nations Commission on International
Trade Model Law (UNCITRAL) on procurement.

It also includes provisions for the fair, equal
and equitable treatment of suppliers and
contractors and for the promotion of integrity and
public confidence in the procurement process. Such
amendments, she added, take account of current
international best practices to remove the delays
caused by the hierarchical structures of the
procurement system and improve public procurement
efficiency.

“The Public Procurement Amendment Act of 2016
addresses weaknesses in the current Public
Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) and introduces
sustainable public procurement framework
contracting and electronic procurement,” she
explained.

She assured the gathering of her ministry’s
commitment to doing everything within its capacity
to promote the creation of employment in the local
economy

Source - 3news.com

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