‘Prioritise passage of procurement bill’
The government has been urged to prioritise the passage of the Procurement and Supply Chain Bill into law to regulate the profession.
The immediate past Chairman of the Council of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS), Mr Basil Ahiable, who made the call, said the passage would drastically reduce the incidence of procurement malpractices and go a long way to prevent financial resources from going down the drain.
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Speaking at an inaugural ceremony for GIPS’ new council members in Accra, Mr Ahiable charged the new leadership of the institute to ensure that the passage was done within 12 months.
“I would like to emphasise that the passage of a law to regulate the licensing and practice of procurement and supply in Ghana is long overdue and that Parliament and the executive arms of government should prioritise the passage of the licensing and practising bill drafted by GIPS into law when it is presented to them.
“This we believe will drastically reduce the incidence of procurement malpractices in the country and help in our quest to control spending in these times of austerity and times thereafter,” he said.
Ceremony
The ceremony saw the induction of a nine-member council of GIPS.
The council is chaired by Evelyn Sam, who will steer the affairs for the next two years.
Practitioners from various sectors were present to discuss salient issues of concern to GIPS, take stock of previous initiatives and discuss plans ahead of the coming year.
According to the outgoing chair, when passed into law, the bill would give true meaning to the profession in its quest to ensure effective procurement systems.
The bill, he said, clearly defined the boundaries of the practice and sanction regimes for members who would flout the law when it was passed.
Recommendations
He assured the newly appointed council members of his support to ensure an effective regime for members and the country as a whole.
He charged the council members to increase public awareness and enthusiasm for GIPS through public lecture series and other engagements.
That, he said, would help provide information on how an effective GIPS could be a solution to the current economic problems the country was confronted with.
He further called for an increased frequency of training for GIPS members to equip them with the skills needed for the job market while institutionalising the celebration of a procurement and supply chain week to serve as a visibility and awareness programme for the GIPS.
Acceptance
Mrs Sam, in her acceptance speech, thanked the team for entrusting the organisation to her for the next two years.
She commended the outgoing council for the splendid work done so far and assured the members of her readiness to deliver on the mandate.
The Board Chairman of the Public Procurement Authority, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, urged the new council to ensure discipline in their daily engagement.