Bolgatanga, Sept. 10, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on Monday urged management of Public Procurement Board to intensify training programmes for the public sector to ensure an effective and efficient procurement system. He said "A considerable part of the country's resources are channelled through procurement, therefore an efficient system would ensure value for money translated into better infrastructure and Public Services for the people".

Mr Baah-Wiredu made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, at the opening session of a five-day Public Procurement Workshop organised for Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Public Sector in Bolgatanga. Topics to be treated would include Ethics of Public Procurement, Tender Eligibility, Procurement Planning, Introduction to Standard Tender Documents, Preparation of Tender Documents and Contracts Management.

He noted that stakeholders in the Public Procurement System required systematic upgrading of their knowledge to address challenges and bottlenecks for a successful and transparent implementation of the system.

Mr Baah-Wiredu said a recent World Bank Country assessment rated Ghana's Public Procurement System high, adding "such good standards needed to be maintained". Dr Joseph Amankwa, Upper East Regional Director of Health Service, called for an effective monitoring and supervision of the system to ensure long term benefits for the nation. He noted that the Public Procurement Act was one of the strategies instituted by Government to ensure fairness and accountability towards the country's development.