Accra, March 17, GNA - A nine-member Ministerial Tender Review Board was on Monday inaugurated in Accra to take charge of evaluating procurement decisions for the Ministry of Communication in accordance with the Public Procurement Act (PPA).

The board, which is chaired by Professor Robert K. Appiah, a consultant, has Mr. S. Takyie-Asiedu, Dr. Osei Dankwa, Mr. Zinedeme Minia, Ms. Dorothy K. Gordon, Mr Kofi Asante, Mr. K Ofosu-Adarkwa, Mr. P.W. Yiriyelleh and Ms Rebecca Okai as members.

Dr. Benjamin Aggrey-Ntim, sector Minister, said government had placed premium on the PPA as a tool for fighting corruption, ensuring public accountability, transparency and to further good governance. "This is why the tender review boards have been established to review the activities at each step of the procurement cycle which will lead to the selection of the lowest evaluated tender by the procurement authority," he added.

He said studies had shown that public procurement represented about 24 per cent of total imports of the country and this represented between 50 and 70 per cent of the national budget and 14 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Dr. Aggrey-Ntim said in the past the sole reliance on traditional contracting and price-based selection limited the scope for the value for money achievable. He said the Ministry wa s executing several high value projects, which included the eGhana Project and Community Information Centres, which required the involvement of banks and financial institutions and this called for an improvement in the procurement practices to forestall project delivery overruns.

"As you may be aware, these over-runs are normally characterized by cost escalations, especially interest on delayed payments, delays in delivery time and the abandoning of projects which negate the attainment of 'value for money' and development aspirations." Dr. Aggrey-Ntim congratulated members of the board for accepting the task and asked them to place their skills and expertise at the disposal of the Board.

"You should avoid conflict of interest situations and be guided always by the principles of transparency, fairness, due diligence and the need to achieve value for money in every transaction," he added. Prof. Appiah thanked the Ministry for their appointment and promised to be transparent in carrying out their duties