Procurement bill to be laid before Parliament in October
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has assured that government will prioritise the long-awaited Public Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals Bill, with plans for its consideration when Parliament reconvenes in October.
Speaking at the National Procurement and Supply Chain Conference in Accra, Mr Nyarko confirmed that Cabinet is currently reviewing the draft legislation, which seeks to regulate procurement in the public sector, close financial leakages and strengthen oversight of government projects.
“This is to confirm that Cabinet is currently considering this bill, and the Ministry of Finance, together with Parliament, the lead sponsor Ministry of Education and all stakeholders, will ensure its passage in the next sitting.
“Because of the repeated statements I have heard in this auditorium about this bill, as soon as I leave here, I will place a call to the Education Minister to have a discussion on prioritising it. The executive will do our part and send it to Parliament. We are targeting the end of this year. Parliament will consider it when we’re back somewhere in October,” he assured.
The Deputy Minister further revealed that the proposed law will include provisions for environmental sustainability and governance to support Ghana’s green economy agenda.
He stressed that strengthening procurement practices is essential to advancing economic resilience and sustainable development.
Delivering the keynote on behalf of the Finance Minister, Mr Nyarko emphasised that practitioners must be licensed to operate in a regulated environment to drive economic growth.
He commended the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain (GIPSC) for its critical role in shaping government procurement processes and pledged “maximum attention” to the bill once Parliament resumes.
Dr Simon Annan, President of the Institute, welcomed the government’s commitment and promised to work closely with stakeholders to ensure the bill’s passage.
The two-day conference, organised by the Ghana Institute of Public Procurement and Supply Chain, focused on the theme “Re-imagining Procurement and Supply for Sustainable Development and Economic Resilience.”
Participants underscored the strategic importance of procurement in Ghana’s economic activities, highlighting the need for comprehensive reforms to improve transparency and accountability.
