Director for Center of Accountability and the Rule of Law, (CARL), Ibrahim Tommy Esq. has informed guests and stakeholders at the launch of the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) 4th Quarter 2020 Public Procurement Bulletin that “the NPPA new administration under its Chief Executive, Ibrahim Brima Swarray, has introduced a new lease of life for Sierra Leone as far as accountability and transparency in public procurement is concerned.”
Speaking earlier in the jam-packed Finance Ministry conference hall at George Street in Freetown where the meeting was held on Thursday 29th April, 2021, the Director, Procurement Directorate in the Ministry of Finance. Fodie Konneh recalled that two and a half years ago, a new administration took over the NPPA headed by Ibrahim Brima Swarray as Chief Executive. He added that since then, the projection of the NPPA has clearly been restoration of integrity, accountability and transparency in public procurement principles, adding that the general public and procurement stakeholder must support the current genuine efforts of the NPPA and its administration to boost the efficiency and professionalism being exhibited by the NPPA. He maintained that as far as he is concerned, he is confident that with public support the NPPA will give its best to national development in the area of public procurement.
NPPA Board Chairman, Alfred Bob Kandeh gave a brief history about the progress of the NPPA from an insignificant entity to becoming the one of the most important instrument or institution supporting the government development initiatives. He used the opportunity to urge procurement officials and the general public to support the NPPA for the overall development of Sierra Leone.
He admonished the NPPA CE and his team not to relent but to keep the fire burning in ensuring that the norms of public procurement are not only respected but religiously adhered to.
In his brief assessment of the work done so far by the NPPA. Director of Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), Ibrahim Tommy (Esq.) underscored the fact that the importance of a transparent, accountable and reliable public procurement process is a sine qua non when it comes to the good use of public funds. He encouraged CE Ibrahim Brima Swarray and his team not to relent in ensuring that they do all in their power to maintain accountability, transparency and integrity in how MDAs use public funds.
Short statements supporting NPPA’s drive to sanitize public procurement were made by Abu Bakar Tarawally representing Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) and a representative from Campaign for Good Governance (CGG).
Speaking on the importance of a Public Procurement Bulletin, the NPPA Chief Executive, Ibrahim Brima Swarray explained that the bulletin is a detailed document revealing public procurement details which took place in the fourth quarter of the financial year.
He informed his audience that the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary should have been celebrated by those Sierra Leoneans who know they have contributed to the fiscal and other development drives of the country in the last few years. He added that his administration is concerned about the scale and scope of public procurement systems to get value for money and that it is good that there is now an institution, Right to Access Information (RAIC) which provides for release of information from public institutions for public consumption.
He recalled that all that the ugly things had been happening in the past with regard public procurement processes was due to bad governance. He maintained however that with the New Direction Government of President Julius Maada Bio, he can ensure the general public that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that public procurement defaulters and progressives are featured in the quarterly Public Procurement Bulletin so that procurement stakeholders, defaulters, authorities and the general public can learn about what is happening in the public procurement arena of Sierra Leone.
The climax of the meeting was the launch of the 4th Quarter Public Procurement Bulletin by NPPA CE Ibrahim Brima Swarray, Board Chairman Mr. Kandeh, CARL Director Ibrahim Tommy, Director of Procurement Directorate, Fodie Konneh and BAN representative Mr. Tarawally.
A question and answer session followed.
Credit Owl Newspaper
