Sequel to the convergence of Procurement officers last week, the Directorate of Procurement under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs converged its procurement clerks from various ministries, departments, and agencies from the 2nd to 4th November 2022 at Sunset Beach Hotel to discuss the GPPA Act and other working documents relevant to their work.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Procurement, Dr. John Solomon Jatta reiterated the importance of procurement in the public sector. He delved into the ethics of the profession and urged clerks to be mindful and safeguard their reputations. He pushed further to let clerks understand that a lot is being said about procurement officials, most of which is not true. He reminded them of their responsibilities to ensure that the procurement profession becomes an admired one due to the noble operations and practices of its officials. Jatta emphasized the importance of punctuality and regularity at work, saying that the seriousness of the officer/clerks depends on how much they respect and abide by their working time.
According to the lead resource person, Mr. Tijan Jobe who doubles as the Secretary of the Complaints Review Board (CRB) said “Public procurement can make or bring down a governmentâ€. Therefore, he urged the clerks to exercise their duties and responsibilities with honesty and adherence to procurement ethics.
Mr. Gomez, the head of Gambia Public Procurement Institute (GPPI) took the participants through the GPPA Act and other working tools the procurement clerks need to understand.
Mr. Kebba Sallah, a seasoned procurement consultant and a former Director of the Procurement Directorate presented the true meaning of procurement and why it matters. In his deliberation, he opined that procurement is not only about getting possession of something but “The art of acquiring goods, works, and services efficiently and effectively, at reasonable prices and on timeâ€. He added that procurement reforms and advances made by The Gambia’s high-level officials should examine which of the considerations of stagnated systems still apply to the country and determine what can be done about them. Further speaking, Sallah said officials should consider how they can support the process on a sustainable basis to ensure success and set an example to the rest of the sub-Sahara region.
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