Contractors and others schooled on Public Procurement Act

Kumasi, Feb 2, GNA - Mr Daniel Kwagbenu, Procurement Reform Expert, has stated that the Public procurement Act 663 was promulgated to enable local industries to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.
He has therefore urged contractors and other service providers to be more conversant with the provisions of the Act to help them improve their businesses.Mr Kwagbenu was speaking at a day's workshop on Public Procurement Act 663 organised by the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) in Kumasi on Thursday.

The workshop attended by contractors, service providers, consultants and other procurement entities, aimed at briefing them on the provisions and its importance and benefits.He stressed the need for contractors and other service providers to ensure that they periodically make their procurement plans as part of their efforts to enhance the performance of their businesses.Mr Kwagbenu said the domestic margin of preference in the Act was to assist the local business community to become competitive and efficient suppliers to the public sector.He advised contractors and other professional associations to interact with the Public Procurement Board to be equipped with new skills for efficient and effective work.

He told them to ensure an up-to-date record of their activities so that they can receive credit facilities from financial institutions to expand their businesses.Mr Moses Agyemang, Project Officer of PEF, commended the Business Advocacy Centre (BUSAC) Fund and the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) for sponsoring the workshop.Mr Kwabena Danso-Aboagye, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association of Building and civil Engineering Contractors, was not happy with the delay in the payment of contracts and appealed to the government, district and municipal assemblies to address the problem.

The participants resolved that clause 60 (1) of Act 663 which states that, "procurement entity 'may' grant a margin of preference for the benefit of work by domestic contractors be changed to 'shall' to give full meaning to the clause".
2 Feb. 07