Ghana assists Liberia in building Procurement Capacity

The Government of Ghana, represented by the Ghana Public Procurement Authority (PPA), has presented a full set of procurement curriculum and training materials to the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission. The presentation, supported by the World Bank is in furtherance of procurement reforms in the West African sub-region.

Making the presentation Monday, November 28, 2011 in the Conference Room of the Commission, the Procurement Specialist of the World Bank Office in Ghana, Mr. Charles Taylor, challenged the PPCC to make maximum use of the curriculum and training materials aimed at enhancing the capacity of procurement practitioners at various procuring entities of the Liberian Government. Mr. Taylor was accompanied by Mr. Winter Chinamale, World Bank Procurement Specialist resident in Liberia, and Mr. Michael Sahr, Communications Associate of the World Bank Office in Liberia.

Taking delivery of the set of materials, PPCC Executive Director Peggy Varfley-Meres, lauded Mr. Taylor and the World Bank family for the initiative, which she said will strengthen Liberia’s procurement program and enhance the capacity of procurement practitioners including staff members of the Commission. Mrs. Meres urged the World Bank and the PPA of Ghana to remain professionally and financially engaged with the Commission in its drive to reform Liberia’s public sector. The presentation was made possible through the initiative of Executive Director Meres, when she made a representation at the Ghana PPA during one of her official visits.  

The set of materials, including a curricula and modules as well as accompanying lecture notes in both hard and soft copies will support in-service training of existing procurement officers in ministries and agencies to improve their performance as well as support the professionalization of the public procurement function in Liberia. Students enrolled in the Financial Management Training School, Liberia Institute for Public Administration, and public sector employees are expected to benefit from this initiative.          

The development of the materials was sponsored by the Millennium Development Authority (MIDA) of Ghana, with funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the USA (MCC).The materials were initially developed for students specializing in procurement at the tertiary level education in Ghana.