Adjenim Boateng Adjei
The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has saved government a whopping GH¢1.6 billion which would otherwise have been declared as expenditure.
In 2017, the Authority saved GH¢800 million for government, and from January to June 2018, it saved GH¢795 million.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, Adjenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PPA, said his outfit had conducted investigations and audits into the procurement activities of several state institutions.
They include National Lotteries Authority (NLA), National Communications Authority (NCA), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Electoral Commission (EC), Ghana Airport Authority (GAA) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
“Audit reports for these entities have been lodged with the Office of the Attorney General and the Economic & Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigations and prosecution.”
He also mentioned that Ministry of Education, Ghana National Petroleum Commission, Ministry of Energy, University of Education, Winneba; Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital are currently being audited.
Others are the Northern Electricity Development Company (NEDCo), Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Controller & Accountant General’s Department.
The PPA CEO disclosed that currently his outfit, with support from the World Bank, has begun a comprehensive training programme in both Accra and Kumasi for procurement officers, private sector and oversight institutions, as well as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
“In all, over 10,000 procurement functionaries have benefitted in our series of training.
He stated that “in order to combat procurement corruption that manifest through undue contract variations orders i.e. snowballing and padded contracts PPA, under the ongoing comprehensive web-based Unit Cost of Infrastructure Budget Estimator Tool, would eliminate the risks associated with unrealistic budget estimates in procurement planning and budgeting for Ghana’s infrastructure projects.”
The tool, he noted, is expected to assist PPA’s engineers and procurement officers to generate realistic budget estimates for procurement in the areas of roads, buildings, power systems, as well as water and sewerage systems.”
By Samuel Boadi