Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Ghana Elects New Executives

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Ghana, has elected new executives to spearhead the affairs of the Institute for the next three years.

The five-member CIPS Ghana executives include Mr Paa Kwesi Crentsil, Chairman; Madam Victoria Adzo, Vice Chairperson; Mr Raymond Hedidor, Secretary; Mr Daniel Kweku Duodu-Danso, Communication Officer and Mr Mark Ofori Afayori, Education Officer.

CIPS is dedicated to promoting best practice and provides a programme of continuous improvement in professional standards, raising awareness of the contribution purchasing and supply makes to corporate, national and international prosperity.

The objective of CIPS Ghana, is to impact positively on the Ghanaian economy through the application of these standards in supply chain processes.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mrs Stella Addo, Country Manager, CIPS Ghana, said their mandate is to run the institute as volunteers, who would be in-charge of the day to day interaction between the country office, members and students.

She said with regards to procurement there is a lot of advocacy to be done, and this calls for volunteers on the ground; who would go round institutions and advocate for news concerning procurement, hence its evolution.

Mrs Addo said the evolution of procurement highlights the fact that procurement was no longer just preparing tender documents but moving into roles; and wants to be recognised as professionals.

“So there is a lot to be done and one person cannot do that; you will need volunteers and people who are really passionate to roll this message out and do more advocacy," she added.

She said due to the significance of procurement; initiatives put in place, to reduce bottlenecks and combating corruption and building capacity would help government to maximise the buying power of their budgets.

Mr Crentsil expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity given him to serve.

He said his immediate plan is to build on the foundation laid by his predecessors, and as part of his initiatives he would ensure there was a programme every quarter of the year.

He said he intends to build capacities internally and externally and increase the Institute’s membership; and as well link up with key stakeholders like the Public Procurement Authority, Ministry of Public Procurement and other institutions running procurement and supply chain.

He expressed the hope that all these immediate plans would ensure that with togetherness their voices would be heard.

CIPS Reiterates Call For Licensing Procurement Profession

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) says it is absolutely crucial that people who spend public funds have the relevant qualification profiles and mandate to do so.

Mr Sam Achampong, the Regional Head of Middle East, North and West Africa of the CIPS, said this would ensure that procurement professionals had the appropriate qualification to manage their function properly and optimise the use of resources.

He said licensing professionals would imply that there would be consequences to serve as deterrent to poor performance and unethical practices; as this had massive exponential effect on society.

Mr Achampong made the remarks in Accra in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the side-lines of an executive breakfast meeting, hosted by CIPS on the theme: “Building a Global Procurement Centre of Excellence”.

Among the key objectives of the meeting was to meet top policy makers in Ghana to introduce and expose them to global concepts, trends and evolution of procurement.

Mr Achampong noted that in as much the licensure would also help fight against corruption, the reputation of procurement was actually key to attracting foreign investments.

He said corruption added 10 per cent to the cost of doing business and 25 per cent to public procurement in developing countries.

Mr Kwaku Kwarteng, a Deputy Minister of Finance, also underscored the need for Ghana to move towards standardising projects.

He said seeing similar projects procured by different procurement entities with varied prices implied that some procurements were better in terms of value for money than others.

Mr Kwarteng stated that the way to correct the situation was for a proper study to be carried and to declare the price specifications for the particular projects and associate that with quality assurance mechanisms.

Mrs Stella Addo, the Country Manager of CIPS, Ghana, noted that procurement in Ghana had gradually come to the limelight, and was gradually being understood, accepted, and recognised as a strategic function than the traditional tactical role of just preparation of tender documents and award of contracts.

She said the adaptation of modernised procurement systems and pursuance to new trends in procurement would go a long way to assist the country’s procurement agenda.

“Also, when proper supervision is conducted, procurement activities will shift from its perceived corrupt nature to become efficient and effective in Ghana,” she added.

Among the dignitaries at the meeting were Mrs Sarah Adwoa Safo, Minister of State in-charge of Public Procurement, Nana Kwasi Agyekum Dwamena, Head of Civil Service and Mr Agyenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive Officer of Public Procurement Authority.

Source: Peacefmonline.com