The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in collaboration with Public Procurement Authority has engaged the media to enhance their advocacy on the use of Open Contracting Data Standards (OCDS) and Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPs) in public procurement.
According to the above two organisations, OCDS and E-Procurement is the reliable way to ensure accountability and reduce corruption in the country.
In an interview with the Communications Officer, GACC, Faustina Djabatey at a day’s workshop organised by GACC, she indicated that the workshop was aimed at building the capacity of the media.
She said it was also meant to intensify their advocacy on procedures that will stimulate transparency in the procurement process.
“Advocacy is more effective when we collaborate and that’s why we brought together journalists, to have an understanding of the process when it comes to procurement so that they could also support us with their platforms when it comes to these issues,” she noted.
Adding that it’s important for the media to understand every stage of the procurement process.
“Once they [media and CSOs] understand that this is the procurement cycle, this is what information is needed at every stage of it, it helps them to advocate on our behalf so that we collectively help to improve our service delivery. Because all of these things when they’re absent, it affects our service delivery. So the whole idea is to build a partnership with journalists and CSOs.”
….We organised phase one of the workshop earlier where we engage the public sector and procurement experiences were shared. Even though with the same objective, we are engaging the media today to strengthen their understanding in the procurement process”.
A Community and Personal Capacity Building Manager of Open Contracting Partnership (OCP), Andie Okon, in a zoom session highlighted some of the benefits OCDS offers in public procurement.
She posited that when OCDS is employed, data is generated to educate the public on what their funds are being used for, irrespective of the mode of procurement–electronic or paper.
“Innovative partnership with civil society and organisations are needed to effectively implement OCDS, as well as raising red flags across all the stages of the procurement process,” she underscored.
Meanwhile, David Damoah from Public Procurement Authority in a presentation on Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPs) disclosed that 182 institutions have so far registered.
