By Hawanatu Konneh
Speaking at their 2nd Quarter 2021 Public Procure ment Bulletin Launch, the Chief Executive, National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), Ibrahim Brima Swarray, informed journalist that despite the fact he is happy to launch another Procurement Bulletin, he is saddened over the fact that, he is misreported or misquoted by journalists, adding that, the NPPA monitors contracts but does not award contracts.
He was speaking at the National Authorizing Office (NAO) conference hall at Tower Hill, on Tuesday 30th November, 2021. He went on to state that, over the past three years, the NPPA under his watch has been able to successfully publish and distribute its Price Norm and Bulletin. He said the objective is to keep Procurement Officers “on their toes” and au fait with what is happening in the procurement sector in Sierra Leone and to serve as a guide to assist them in taking decisions on procurement matters.
He maintained that procurement is no longer the clerical job it used to be but has “metamorphosed into a professional career”. He used the opportunity to prevail on procurement officers to make good use of the Bulletin as it will educate them on what has transpired in the procurement sector for the period under review.
He went further to explain that the NPPA has saved the government from losing over one trillion Leones in bad procurement, a feat he said, was only achievable due to the professional manner in which the NPPA team monitored government procurement issues.
He also used the opportunity to prevail on members of the press to always cross-check their facts before going to press, adding that as Sierra Leoneans we should all be seen writing and disseminating information which promote the best interests of the country.
He promised that in the near future journalists would benefit from training in procurement matters to make them more au fait and knowledgeable with what is happening in the procurement sector so that they too would be better informed at reporting procurement matters.
Also speaking at the occasion was the NPPA Board Chairman, Alfred Kandeh. He reiterated the importance of professional procurement methods which he said, is the bedrock of a thriving society. He said the NPPA management is a professional body, adding that procurement is currently a far different topic from what it used to be years ago when it was considered a dungeon where people were sent as a punishment because their business in procurement was to watch over mountains of inconsequential documents.
He called on procurement officers to be dutiful and reverence their work because it is clearly a professional career which the country relies on.
Another speaker was the Director, Procurement Directorate in the Ministry of Finance, who was represented by Robert Mackintosh. He prevailed on MDA procurement officers to consider the Price Norm and Bulletin published by the NPPA as their ‘bible’ in taking procurement decisions.
A question and answer session formed the highlight of the occasion. The NPPA Chief actually stole show with his in-depth explanation about how he has inadvertently made enemies as a result of being straight forward and law-abiding in his work as NPPA Chief. In addition to him coming under press attacks and blackmail; but stubbornly weathering these storms. “In fact, all of that though sad makes me more resilient and resolute in doing the best and right thing for my country,” he said.
