The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has issued a final warning to public institutions that continue to disregard mandatory transparency regulations under the Public Procurement Act, indicating a more stringent enforcement phase in the oversight of state contracts.
This warning follows a compliance assessment of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS), which revealed that numerous entities had not published procurement plans and contract award details as mandated by law.
The PPA has stated that ongoing non-compliance may result in public identification, administrative penalties, and limitations on approvals for single-source and restricted tendering requests.
According to Sections 21 and 31 of the Act, procurement entities are obligated to upload procurement plans and contract award information onto GHANEPS and ensure they are regularly updated.
The Authority has indicated that failure to comply diminishes transparency, undermines competitive tendering, and restricts public oversight of state expenditures.
It also reminded heads of procurement entities that the responsibility for compliance lies directly with them under Section 18 of the Act.
The PPA emphasised that procurement failures are not merely administrative matters, but rather issues of leadership accountability, placing the onus squarely on institutional heads and controlling officers.
This latest warning arises amidst increasing scrutiny of public procurement governance, an area historically linked with sole-sourcing, restricted tendering, and concerns regarding value for money.
Procurement matters have recently attracted renewed focus following a petition by the policy think tank IMANI Africa to President John Dramani Mahama regarding alleged irregularities in state insurance placements.
While the PPA’s directive is not associated with any particular case, it reinforces demands for stricter enforcement and enhanced transparency in public contracting.
The GHANEPS platform was established to digitise procurement processes, enhance transparency, and create an auditable record of government contracts.
