June 29, 2018//-Public Procurement Act 2003, (Act 663) stipulates clearly the due process that must be followed in procuring any item or material for state use.
To say everyone in the helm of affairs is well vested with the Act is a different thing altogether. The sacked Ghana’s Electoral Commission Chairperson, Ms Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, the first thing that comes sit one’s mind is: what might have happened?
It has been alleged that, there were serious breaches of the Act, which warranted the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to constitute a committee to look into the matter.
Based on the findings and recommendations of the committee, the president acted. If we take out politics, did the EC boss and her two deputies involved in any act that was in contravention of the very Act we put in place to safeguard public purse? If yes, the next thing may be has the president acted fairly?
The truth on the ground
It is needless to say, as it is being peddled by some people that, EC boss has a problem or is at loggerheads with her two deputies. That may be their personal issues.
But if it was anything bordering on the matter in issues, how can all those who agreed with her and those who did not fell victim of the wrath of the president ?
I think we should leave that one out and focus on the substantive case.
One of the routes through which this country can lose money heavily is the procurement of items, especially those that involve a chunk of public funds.
I believe those who constituted the committee that recommended the driving away of the EC boss, and her two deputies were not solely NPP activists. Even if yes, they were tasked to execute a job in the public interest, and therefore, party colours were not on when they were discharging their mandated duty.
The sacked EC boss ought to have known that, in such circumstances, the due procedure ought to be adhered to in the interest of this country . Even in the event of sole sourcing, there are processes to follow.
This brings to mind the role of the board of the EC and the Procurement Act. The object of the Board is to harmonize the process of public procurement in the public service to secure a judicious, economic, and efficient use of state resources in page 5 of 663 Public Procurement Act, 2003 .
The board is to ensure that, public procurement is carried out in a fair, transparent manner,……….. I think the reason for the Public Procurement Act and several others is to prevent leakages in the economy and ensure that monies that are supposed to accrue to the nation to carry out its developmentare secured. Anybody who will have a different object other than this is an enemy to the country.
This is basically telling us that, as truthful one may be, in issues like this, you cannot take it upon yourself to single-handedly procure items for the public service. This is exactly what the EC boss did. The Electoral Commission is not a private company or one-man business, where things like that could happen. The lady flouted the law on procurement, and the law must take it course.
The Public Servant
All those who are in the helm of affairs in this country including the president ought to act in the best interest of this country. The monies that are being lost to this country out of some of these things, is getting to alarming proportion. From the judgement debt to inflating contracts to unlawful procurement is too much to bear.
Billions of cedis are being lost to when act of this nature occurs. Ghana is bigger than one person and the nation’s interest overrides all others.
Let us not think of the post, the EC boss is losing, or any other special parochial interest but let us put Ghana first.
By Francis Gamli – Dovene, Facilitator University of Cape Coast (UCC) CoDE& UEW IDeL
