Medical Trust Fund swears in tender committee
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has sworn in a 10-member Entity Tender Committee (ETC), and charged the entity to uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness and professionalism in the discharge of its duties.
A board member and legal practitioner, Nelly Bernice Wallace, who inaugurated the committee in Accra yesterday, described the event as a significant step in strengthening the fund’s governance and procurement systems.
Members of the committee comprised of people from diverse professional backgrounds.
They include representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Ghana Medical Association and the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Safeguarding public purse
The Administrator of the trust fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, who also serves as Chairperson of the tender committee, urged members to be objective, diligent and be guided strictly by the rules and procedures to safeguard the public purse.
“Uphold integrity, fairness and professionalism in every decision that this committee will make,” she admonished the members, adding that the credibility and performance of the trust fund would, in many ways, depend on the committee’s work.
Responsibility
Ms Darko-Opoku reminded the members that the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), as amended by Act 914, had placed significant responsibility on entity tender committees to provide oversight, approve procurement plans, review submissions and ensure full compliance with the law.
She described the constitution of the committee as crucial, given the central role public procurement played in government institutions.
“This committee stands at the heart of good governance within our institution,” she said, adding that its swearing-in reflects on the fund’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability and value for money in all procurement activities.
Mandate
Ms Darko-Opoku said the trust fund, otherwise known as MahamaCares, would rely heavily on procurement to execute critical projects, acquire essential goods and services and ensure smooth operations.
“The effectiveness of this committee will, therefore, have a direct impact on our performance indicators and our ability to fulfil our mandate to the public,” she said.
Expressing confidence in the expertise and experience of the members, Ms Darko-Opoku said she was optimistic that the committee would significantly strengthen the trust fund’s procurement oversight structure.
On behalf of the board, management and staff of the trust fund, the administrator congratulated the members on their appointment, and encouraged them to approach their responsibilities with dedication, commitment and integrity.
