Journal VOL. 1 NO. 2, July. 2022, ISSN: 2811 - 2393
Public Procurement Methods and Approval Process in The Ghana Civil Service: Review of Some Selected Ministries in The Ghana Civil Service
Ronald Osei Mensah, Mawuli McMawuli, Elvis Kwasi Kyeremeh, Francis Osei-Mensah, Joan Aryee, Patamia Julius MK, Samson Dodzi Fenuku, Peggy Tettey
ABSTRACT
Procurement has become part of human life, from the fisherman to the cooperate man, the private sector to the public sector. It can be primarily grouped into private sector and public sector procurement. Public Procurement (PP) is a key economic activity of Governments that represents a significant percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) generating huge financial flows, estimated on average at about 10-15% of GDP across the world. Governments and institutions worldwide purchase products and services to enhance their activities. In the spate of corruption and scarce resources, the public sector has often developed a procurement system to guard the entire process (Sarfo & Baah-Mintah, 2013). In Ghana, the public procurement Act 663 (2003) is the legal regulatory instrument that guard’s procurement processes in the public sector. It is the main regulatory framework for all procurements made in the name of public institutions. Though the procurement Act 663 (2003) plays a major role in guarding Government procurement processes, it is not without challenges. The study used multiple case studies as the strategy for the research. The target population of the research included procurement and stores officers of some selected Ministries of the Ghana Civil Service. The research aimed at identifying major procurement methods and their modes of operation in the Ghana Civil Service, determine the extent to which procurement methods used in the Civil Service give value for money and determine whether the approval process of public procurement takes a top-down approach or vice versa before the appointment of boards. The findings revealed request for Quotation as the most applied procurement method used in the Ghana Civil Service followed by National Competitive Tendering. The findings further revealed that a correct usage of the procurement methods ensures some benefits especially value for money. The bureaucratic structure of the government within the Ministries is a major impediment for the procurement system. The Chief Director has high powers over resources available in the Ministry and thus the power to interrupt the procurement process. Corruption was identified as the main snag of the entire procurement system.
Keywords: Approval process, Civil service, Corruption, Public procurement, Public institutions, Public sector
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