Accra, Sept. 4, GNA - Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive, Public Procurement Board (PPB) on Tuesday said the passage of the Public Procurement Act signified a bold initiative by government in its Financial Management Reform programme.

"However, without training, the objective of the Act which seeks to ensure fairness, transparency and value for money for scarce state resources will never be achieved", he added.

Launching PPB's nationwide training programme under the theme: Improving Efficiency and Transparency in Procurement" Mr. Adjei said to ensure that a large stakeholder community received the requisite training for the operationalization of the Act. The Board was focussing on preparations for the short-term training programmes aimed at strengthening the capacity of practitioners with the requisite skills to enable them to perform their task effectively Mr Adjei said, "Six competent consulting firms: GIMPA, Ghana Supply Company, General Law Consult, Continental Consultants, Messrs Crown Agents and Procurement Management Services were engaged to roll out the training across the country.

The programme would cover targets groups such as entity Tender Committees and Tender Review Boards, providers of goods, works and services, oversight institutions, Members of Parliament, procurement practitioners among others who play significant roles in the public procurement process.

He said separate sets of training modules have been developed for each group and it would be held in sessions of one, two and five days depending on the target groups.

Mr. Adjei said the Board observed that a key requirement for attracting and retaining procurement professionals in the public sector called for the establishment of the procurement as a career in the Public Service.

The board's capacity building policy was meant to encourage the establishment of functional procurement unit in each procurement entity with competent personnel who would have opportunities to develop their professional careers in the area.

"This we hope to do by liaising with local and international training bodies to deliver world class quality procurement and supply chain management training that would include ethics, anti-corruption measures, negotiations and effective record keeping". Mr. Adjei urged participants to use the knowledge that would be acquired to improve upon their practice and also impact positively on the entire financial management system of the country.

Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu whose speech was read on his behalf said Ghana's Public Procurement Reforms was increasingly becoming a centre of excellence within Africa and was being closely monitored by development partners such as the World Bank and the Commonwealth.

"It is therefore our hope that this training programme will lay the foundation stone for drive efficiency and effectiveness in the public procurement system in Ghana".

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said government was committed to equipping and shaping all players in the procurement systems for a smoother implementation of the Act, Act 663 and commended the Board and the Secretariat for their effort.

Mr Kwesi Abbey Sam, one of the consultants pledged their commitment in ensuring that the needed knowledge would be imparted for the benefit of society and called for closer collaboration between the organizers and the consulting firms for a good work to be done.