Let independent body handle contracts —Bawumia
The 2012 vice presidential candidate on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has suggested that the award of contracts and procurement of goods and services for the public sector should be vested in an independent body.
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Such a body, he said, should have a valid commanding secretariat under parliamentary oversight and should be made up of reputable professional local and international procurement institutions with representatives from the civil society.
Speaking on the topic, “Discipline in economic management” at the first Alhaji Aliu Mahama Memorial lecture and launch of the Aliu Mahama Foundation, Dr Bawumia expressed the belief that that would be the surest way of curbing corruption in the country and restoring public confidence.
Dealing with corruption
“In my humble opinion, the surest way to deal with corruption in this country is to take the responsibility of the award of contracts and procurement of goods and services out of the hands of the public sector and the politicians,” Dr Bawumia suggested.
He explained that that was the model used in the execution of projects under the Millennium Challenge Operation under which the George Bush (N1) Highway was built.
“The MDAs, even the Presidency, had no role in the award of contracts. Once this is put in place, public officials would focus on policies and services and not on the ability to make millions of dollars through dubious contracts and procurements,” he explained.
Dr Bawumia proposed a multi-partisan brainstorming for a workable solution.
Fiscal management
He accused the government of allegedly dissipating the national resources, adding that the massive over-expenditure had left the government cash-trapped.
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Dr Bawumia condemned the government for taking desperate measures, including the imposition of taxes on everything, as a way of getting the economy back on track.
He bemoaned the depreciation of the cedi and urged that something seriously be done to save the national currency, asking, “Can we allow this situation of persistent depreciation to continue?”
He said he would wish to see, among others, the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act to guide policy makers in the implementation of the fiscal policy.
Aliu foundation
The logo of the Alhaji Aliu Foundation was jointly unveiled by Hajia Ramatu Aliu, widow of the former Vice-President, Mr Kwasi Abeasi and Dr Samuel K. Frimpong, the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation.
Mr Abeasi, who launched the foundation, appealed to all public-spirited Ghanaians and the corporate world to contribute generously to the foundation.