The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has warned chief executives of public institutions that they remain personally accountable for procurement breaches, even when higher-level authorities have approved the transactions.
It has cautioned heads of entities and tender committees against manipulating evaluation criteria and disregarding procedures in the award of government contracts.
The Chief Executive Officer of the PPA, Mr Frank Mante, gave the warning at the 12th Public Procurement Forum held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Speaking on the theme, “Deepening Compliance for Public Procurement Efficiency, Transparency and Effectiveness: A Call for Compliance,” Mr Mante said public officials had to comply with procurement laws at every stage of the process to protect public funds and promote fair competition.
He cautioned evaluation panels against introducing assessment criteria which had not been disclosed to bidders before the tendering process.
He also reminded Entity Tender Committees, Central Tender Review Committees and Regional Tender Review Committees that they had no authority to introduce additional evaluation criteria or alter evaluation reports outside the procedures prescribed by law.
Mr Mante explained that the committees could approve an evaluation report, reject it if it did not comply with the disclosed criteria, or request the necessary action in accordance with the law.
He said complaints received by the PPA frequently involved attempts to introduce or change evaluation criteria during the assessment of bids.
He stressed that following the prescribed procedures was necessary to protect the interests of businesses competing for government contracts.
Mr Mante said chief executives should not assume that approval from higher procurement authorities would protect them from responsibility for decisions that breached the law.
He said heads of entities remained accountable for their procurement decisions, irrespective of whether the PPA, the Central Tender Review Committee or the Regional Tender Review Committee had approved them.
“Concurrent approval, don't say, ‘Oh, but even I got PPA's approval.’ No. That will not save you,” he cautioned.
He said the responsibilities of heads of entities included establishing competent procurement units, appointing qualified personnel, ensuring proper evaluation procedures and overseeing contract administration.
He urged chief executives to exercise proper oversight of procurement activities and ensure that their institutions complied with the law.
Mr Mante also expressed concern about losses in value for money during the implementation of public contracts.
He said procurement accountability should extend beyond the award of contracts, since weaknesses in contract administration also affected the use of public funds.
He indicated that the Value for Money Office would examine activities beyond the procurement stage, making proper monitoring of contract execution necessary.
The Value for Money Office was established under legislation assented to by President John Dramani Mahama in May 2026.
Mr Mante urged heads of entities to improve contract administration and reporting to ensure that public expenditure achieved its intended results.
The Coordinating Director (Technical) at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Samuel D. Arkhurst, speaking on behalf of the Finance Minister, said public procurement accounted for 50 to 55 per cent of Ghana's national budget.
He said the proportion of public funds channelled through procurement made compliance with the law necessary to promote the prudent use of state resources.
Mr Arkhurst explained that the establishment of the PPA was a response to weaknesses identified in the country's public financial management system, including the absence of a national procurement policy and a central institution to supervise procurement activities.
He said although Ghana had put in place the necessary legal and institutional arrangements, their effectiveness depended on public officials complying with the law.
“The tools only work when they are used,” he said.
Mr Arkhurst also referred to the Public Procurement (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1139), which introduced additional controls to prevent public institutions from committing the government to financial obligations without the required commitment authorisation.
He urged chief executives to enforce supplier registration requirements and ensure that businesses seeking to provide works and consultancy services to public institutions complied with the relevant regulations.
He said transparency and fairness in procurement would widen business participation and give more eligible suppliers the opportunity to compete for public contracts.
Mr Arkhurst urged participants to regard compliance as a responsibility in protecting public funds and maintaining public confidence in government institutions.
