Role, paperless procurement system

In his inaugural address, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, stated that Ghana would go paperless in 2023.

Based on this assumption, the Passport Office, the Registrar General’s Department, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD), the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and some of our medical facilities are going paperless.

The PPA, on its part, has introduced suppliers’ registration, which will bring all suppliers, contractors and consultants together on a common platform to register all their work to source government contracts.

Prior to that, suppliers, consultants and contractors had to pay for their services rendered during the procurement process.

The supplier database consists of the data of the supplier, consultants and contractors, and distinguishes them into the various types of companies, whether limited liability or enterprise.

The suppliers, consultants and contractors then pay one registration fee at the PPA.

Transparent

The supplier database, therefore, ensures an even and transparent procurement process, as well as accountability and ensures value for money.

Any supplier, consultant or contractor who bids can avoid discrimination in the procurement of goods, services and works.

It also builds suppliers’ confidence in the procurement processes, since with the certificate at hand, they can win contracts, particularly when documentation is done well and free from procurement vice.

GHANEPS

With the introduction of the Ghana Electronic Procurement system (GHANEPS) too, transparency and uniformity in procedures for the procurement of goods, works and services and asset disposal, are enhanced.

The GHANEPS provides an effective and efficient way of improving procurement, while saving taxpayers’ money.

The cost associated with the procurement process, including printing of tender and contract document, evaluating meetings, as well as publication of tenders, will be reduced in due course.

GHANEPS has been integrated with several other government systems for efficient workflow, for instance the Registrar General’s Department, which helps retrieve the details of all service providers.

GHANEPS was launched four years ago, making Ghana the first country in the West African sub-region to establish an electronic procurement system for the public sector.

It uses online services for procurement activities and gives wider participation of service providers, leading to increased competition, as well as civil society actors, suppliers and contractors, to instantly access information.

In Ghana, about 65 per cent of state revenue goes into procurement, which means that a large chunk of the country revenue goes into procurement, making it a veritable arena for corruption and underhand dealings

The PPA will assert itself as a world-class, efficient, transparent, accountable and professionally managed procurement system going forward.

The writer is Senior Corporate Affairs Officer, Public Procurement Authority, Northern Zonal Office, P. O. Box KS 8547, Kumasi. E-mail: melixlarry18@gmail.com