Mr Agyenim Boateng Adjei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has announced that the Authority will institutionalise an Annual Procurement Summit.

He said the Public Procurement Act required the PPA to organise an annual Public Forum for consultations on procurement and other related issues and was partnering Commerce Edge (CE) to deliver an Annual Procurement and Enterprise Development Summit for the first time in West Africa from 30th October – 1st November 2019 in Accra.

Mr Adjei made the disclosure on Tuesday, when he took his turn at the Meet the Press Series in Accra.

The Meet the Press was to enable the CEO to address the nation on some of the programmes and activities of the PPA and other critical issues confronting the Authority as far as its operations and communications with the general public in recent times were concerned.

Mr Adjei noted that the Annual Procurement Conference would provide a unique opportunity for policy makers, academia, public sector organisations, corporate bodies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to come together to discuss emerging trends in the supply chain management discipline that would encourage development in the West-African Region.

“It shall have a comprehensive programme for Supply Chain and Procurement professionals and provide a networking opportunity. The Learning Labs and customised Knowledge Hubs to be run on the exhibition floor shall provide maximum benefit for delegates,” the CEO said.

On challenges facing the Authority, Mr Adjei cited lack of funding for programmes and activities and the delays experienced with fund releases even where prior approval for the Government funds had been secured.

This, he said, resulted in delays in programme implementation and the performance of critical regulatory functions and Authority had had to depend on donor funds to run most of its programmes within the dictates of the donors’ terms and pace.

He said the GoG’s allocation to the Authority to carry out its regulatory functions had been grossly inadequate over the years.

“Indeed, it is quiet worrying that, a regulatory body with a mandate to protect the public purse through effective monitoring of the various procurement processes and procedures to ensure compliance and attainment of Value for Money could be established without a corresponding statutory fund allocation for its operations,” Mr Adjei said.

On Gender Mainstreaming in Public Procurement, Mr Adjei said in fulfilment of Goals 5 and 12 of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which seeks to attain Gender Equality and Sustainable Production and Consumption, this initiative would be designed to set aside particular products, services and works for marginalised groups in society in order to promote socially sustainable procurement and development in the country.

Madam Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, a Deputy Minister of Information, said the government would continue to ensure transparency in its programmes.