PAC refers National Blood Service to AG over GH¢130,000 procurement breaches

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has referred management of the National Blood Service to the Attorney General over procurement breaches.

This comes in light of procurement breaches in the 2022 Auditor General’s report, revealing activities exceeding GH¢130,000 without adherence to proper procedures.

Chairman of the Committee, James Klutse Avedzi, made this announcement during the PAC sitting in Accra on Tuesday.

He stressed the severity of the infractions, particularly pointing out uncompetitive procurement practices within the National Blood Service.

“The next infraction is uncompetitive procurement. So there is a challenge at that office where we are doing restrictive tendering without seeking approval,” he said.

Mr Avedzi clarified that the referral aligns with the committee’s responsibility to hold those violating procurement laws accountable.

“We are doing our part; you have breached the procurement law, so when you are prosecuted, the judges will decide on that,” Avedzi added.

The Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) and its accompanying regulations provide a framework for the procurement of goods, works, and services by public entities.