Review Procurement law for transparency, accountability-IMANI

The IMANI Center for Policy and Education has urged Ghana to conduct a thorough review of its procurement laws to establish a more transparent and accountable system. 

The policy group believes that a comprehensive overhaul could curb revenue losses and bolster public accountability in procurement processes.

Dennis Asare, a Senior Research Associate at IMANI Africa, advocated for these changes at the IMANIFesto event held on November 5, 2024. 

At the gathering, IMANI provided an in-depth analysis of major political party manifestos, evaluating policy commitments from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and the Movement for Change.

Mr. Asare raised concerns about the extensive use of single-source procurement, especially for high-value government contracts, which, he argued, has eroded the system’s strength.

"In our analysis of public procurement," Mr. Asare explained, "we observed that contracts of significant financial value are almost always awarded through single sourcing, making it a primary method for high-value government procurements."

Although single sourcing is permitted by law under certain conditions, it has increasingly become the go-to method for major contracts, sparking worries over fairness and transparency.

Mr. Asare highlighted that this reliance on single sourcing introduces risks to the procurement process, making it more susceptible to misuse and limiting opportunities for competitive bidding.

Such over-reliance, he argued, undermines efficiency and value for public funds, which are foundational to sound public spending.

To protect the integrity of Ghana’s procurement practices, Mr. Asare called for a shift in policy to reduce dependence on single-source methods. He emphasized that stricter guidelines and a greater focus on competitive bidding would enhance transparency and ensure public funds are better managed.