In the wake of the revelation by investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, in a documentary where Mr. A.B. Adjei, the Chief Executive Officer of the PPA, was implicated in a corruption scandal involving the acquisition and sale of government contracts, questions have been raised about the complicity of the Board of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). The Documentary titled titled ‘Contracts for Sale’ has resulted in a chain of actions to clean up the public procurement system.

Following President Akufo-Addo’s suspension of  the beleaguered Mr. Adjei, lawyers and media persons alike have called for the ousting of the board members who, many believe, are equally complicit due to weak corporate governance processes.

In a letter issued by the Board after the facts, it stated that the Board “does not influence tender processes conducted in accordance with Act 663,” and that it was optimistic that after investigations are completed, it will become “clearer to the public that the Board does not have any control over the selection of Suppliers, Contractors and Consultants for goods, works and services presented by procurement entities in their applications for approval for Restricted and Single Source procurement processes.”

Cedidollar.com shares with you the functions of the Board as stipulated in law establishing the Authority, Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

Functions of the Board

3. In furtherance of its object the Board shall perform the following functions:

a) make proposals for the formulation of policies on procurement;
b) ensure policy implementation and human resource development for public procurement;
c) develop draft rules, instructions, other regulatory documentation on public procurement and formats for public procurement documentation;
d) monitor and supervise public procurement and ensure compliance with statutory requirements;
e) have the right to obtain information concerning public procurement from contracting authorities;
f) establish and implement an information system relating to public procurement;
g) publish a monthly Public Procurement Bulletin which shall contain information germane to public procurement, including proposed procurement notices, notices of invitation to tender and contract award information;
h) assess the operations of the public procurement processes and submit proposals for improvement of the processes;
i) present annual reports to the Minister on the public procurement processes;
j) facilitate the training of public officials involved in public procurement at various levels;
k) develop, promote and support training and professional development of persons engaged in public procurement, and ensure adherence by the trained persons to ethical standards;
l) advise Government on issues relating to public procurement;
m) organise and participate in the administrative review procedures in Part VII of this Act;
n) plan and co-ordinate technical assistance in the field of public procurement;
o) maintain a register of procurement entities and members of and secretaries to tender committees of public procurement entities;
p) maintain a data base of suppliers, contractors and consultants and a record of prices to assist in the work of procurement entities;
q) investigate and debar from procurement practice under this Act, suppliers, contractors and consultants who have seriously neglected their obligations under a public procurement contract, have provided false information about their qualifications, or offered inducements of the kind referred to in section 32 of this Act;
r) maintain a list of firms that have been debarred from participating in public procurement and communicate the list to procurement entities on a regular basis;
s) hold an annual forum for consultations on public procurement and other related issues;
t) assist the local business community to become competitive and efficient suppliers to the public sector; and
u) perform such other functions as are incidental to the attainment of the objects of this Act.

Click here to download the Act.