Accra, July 4, GNA - A public procurement website that would provide most of the relevant information on public sector procurement to all stakeholders was on Tuesday launched in Accra.

The website, which could be located on www.ppbghana.org would provide information that would help to monitor and ensure that procurements were carried out in a judicious, economic and efficient manner while ensuring fairness, transparency and non-discrimination in all related processes.

At the launching, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, in a speech read for him by Nana Juaben Boateng Siriboe, Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, said since information technology was the main driving force for business, it was important for Ghana to take advantage of the electronic procurement, which sought to bring sellers and buyers together through the Internet. He said the establishment of the website was an important step in disseminating procurement information to "all players in Ghana and the rest of the world. This will bring healthy competition that guarantees value for money".

Mr Baah-Wiredu said public procurement accounted for 50 per cent to 70 per cent of total Government expenditure, which called for effective management of public procurement, to obtain value for State spending. He said the Government had since 2001 made various efforts to correct the uncontrolled expenditure that had characterised the national economy and led to a rather unstable economic climate with a fall in the quality of lives of the people.

The Minister mentioned the enactment of the Public Procurement Act and the establishment of the Public Procurement Board's (PPB) website as part of the efforts to regulate expenditure and to instil discipline in public finances.

He urged the Public Procurement Board, which launched the website, not to limit information on the site to only notices on tenders and contracts awards but also information to guide the general public on procurement.

Mr Agyenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive of PPB, said the website would basically provide information on activities of the Board and serve as a forum for advertisements for all procurement entities that fell under the scope of application of the Law.

"Information such as tender notices, contract awards, procurement plans and other procurement related information will be posted on the website for the consumption of suppliers, contractors, consultants and the general public", Mr Adjei noted.

He explained that suppliers, contractors and consultants would all be encouraged to advertise on the website, adding that, the media, civil society, nongovernmental organisations and the general public could also send articles, views and comments onto the site. Mrs Emelia Nortey, Director in-charge of Management Information System, PPB, said information such as the history of the Procurement Act, the Government' Act itself, the calibre of people managing the Board, tenders and offers and news and events could be accessed on the website. She said the website would also be very useful to many institutions like the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS) that could all monitor and follow-up on activities of firms on their tax obligations. Mrs Nortey indicated that initial registration onto the website would be free of charge and urged all interested to get on board. 4 July, 06