Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has organised a workshop for public entities to train them on how to disclose their procurement data proactively and make it more transparent.
The project which was funded by Hewlett Foundation and Africa Freedom of Information Centre was on the theme: From Disclosure to impact: Deepening and Broadcasting Open Contracting in Africa”.
Faustina Djabatey, Senior Communications Officer at the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) said disclosing information will enable the citizenry to analyse data and actual work done by public institutions in the country.
“Making procurement data available will enable Civil Society Organisations, the media, and the general public to subject such procurements to thorough scrutiny and if there are any red flags, it will be raised before the contracts are even awarded.
…For instance, if data was available the former Public Procurement Authority’s (PPA) boss’ conflict of interest situation would have been detected much earlier and wouldn’t have gotten to where it did.”
Adding that, the huge gap of information disclosure on procurement by public institutions in Ghana is being alarming.
A lot of public institutions, particularly those in the education and health sectors, continue to breach the country’s procurement regulations. Some have been awarded contracts but failed to disclose their data at PPA website and this has led to huge financial losses to the State over the years.”
Ms. Faustina Djabatey noted that aside from Ghana, the project is been organised in three different African countries to promote data disclosure in these countries, namely: Nigeria, Malawi, and Uganda.
He emphasized that “GACC believes that promotion of data disclosure will be in our interest especially having the CSOs and the media us in this fight”.
She urged the CSOs and the media to advocate for public procurement authority will be equipped to deliver on their mandate.
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