The Public Procurement Authority(PPA) has been able to meet a deadline set by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to start the implementation of an Electronic Government Procurement System by first week in July.
The Vice President gave the directive as part of efforts to reduce human interface which fuels corruption in the procurement system.
The Public Procurement Authority in partnership with a Greece company, European Dynamics, contracted to develop the electronic platform launched the implementation phase in Accra.
Speaking to journalists after the launch, the CEO of the Public Procurement Authority, Mr. Agyenim Boateng Agyei was optimistic the electronic platform will completely remove corruption from Ghana’s procurement systems.
“The Project is essentially meant to ensure transparency, competition and avoidance of corruption to a large extent. Our public procurement regime is characterized over the years by perceived corruption but investigations conducted subsequently reveal that the perceived corruption is indeed a reality,” he said.
He emphasized that corruption in Ghana’s procurement system is endemic, requiring a paperless system that would make it difficult to undertake.
“Corruption is going on in our public procurement system. As a government or as a nation we have a responsibility to look for means by which we could largely reduce the human element in the entire process, that is only possible under this project which is this e-government procurement system,” he said.
He announced that the implementation of the project which will be in phases would be piloted with some government institutions.
“We are going to start the pilot implementation with the COCOBOD, Ghana Health Services, Koforidua Technical University, Volta River Authority(VRA), Tema Metropolitan Assembly(TMA) and the Feeder Roads.
–
By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
