The National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) with funding from the Commonwealth has held a two- day dialogue forum in Makeni on procurement reforms and modernization with a view to strengthening Public Procurement portfolio in the country.
The workshop is geared towards discussing relevant recommendations arising from the Country’s Procurement Assessment Review (CPAR) report and to come up with budget implemented programmes with monitoring indicators and potential source of funding.
In his welcome remarks, the Chief Executive of NPPA Brima Bangura, said this is the second discussion of procurement from the recommendation of the CPARS, as this first was done in June. During this discussion, he said, issues surrounding the strengthen of the legal framework were looked at.
The Chief Executive maintained that they will also be looking at the harmonisation of procurement, wherein when one body speaks it. He emphasised that “the process of NPPA to ascertain international standards and best public guide is moving. Public procurement is a mobile environment therefore the need to move along with the trend is important, since it is significant to the development of the country.”
Bangura said that they want to improve on what they doing while waiting for the new Parliament to sit and pass the new Act, which is looking at the modernisation process. “We are here to promote change which is dynamic and this process is part of that change” the Chief said.
Representative of the Chief of Staff, Alpha Bangura in his keynote address, said that public procurement has always been his interest since he is a government Adviser and Public Financial Management Expert.
He said that a public procurement entity like NPPA is always expected to be transparent and accountable as this mark the beginning of national development.
Efficient and effective public procurement he said will ensure social economic development and that the efficiency of public procurement is a priority now more than ever before.
Presentations were made by the Chief Executive of NPPA, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation Mohamed Musa, COMSEC Adviser and Dr Adeyemi Suleiman.
By Betty Milton
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