PPCC Boss Calls for Realistic Approaches
The date was Tuesday, June 30, 2009 and the venue was the Conference Room of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) in the vicinity of the Executive Mansion-the seat of the Liberian Presidency, when the induction ceremony of the Commissionís first female Executive Director, Mrs. Peggy Varfley Meres, took place in the presence of top executives of the Commission including commissioners, program directors and staff.
With seemingly a huge challenge of overcoming corrupt practices in the procurement of goods, works and services, and in the award of concession contracts, the new head of the PPCC Secretariat vowed to work collaboratively with the 7-member Commission, program directors, staff, procuring entities of government and partner organizations including the World Bank, European Commission, US Government, Governance Economic Management Assistance Program(GEMAP) among others for the achievement of the Commissionís objective which is inherent in the economic and efficient use of public funds in public procurement and the conduct of procurement and concessions processes in a fair, transparent and non discriminatory manner.
In affirmation of her quest to make the procurement and concession reform processes a household name in Liberia, Mrs. Meres said ìI pledge to you that I will work very hard and efficiently in collaboration with you to remove any obstacles and overcome these challenges, so that collectively, we will capitalize on the many opportunities that will avail themselves to us. In the same light, I want to caution us to be realistic about our expectations and set attainable goals. In order for us to propel PPCC to the next level, we will all need to be on board with our full cooperation. Every single employee of this Commission is just as vital to the survival of this entity. My sleeves have already been rolled up in anticipation of the work ahead. I am prepared to move this Commission forward with your 150% support and help.î
In further confirmation of her preparedness to move the Commission to the next level, Mrs. Meres made these commitments, ìItís my firm conviction that a great leader is not just a delegator of functions and responsibilities. A great leader must have a good ear for listening and a good foresight for making decisions. I pledge to you today to be diligent in my efforts, committed to ensuring transparency across the board, and more importantly, being a champion of the PPC Act.î
The new PPCC Boss promised to work tirelessly to educate and reeducate the public at-large; reengage international partners, and forge new partnerships/alliances and work closely with the press to promote the work of PPCC.
Mrs. Meres is a result driven global senior business consultant with over 15 years of executive leadership, program management and strong business acumen. The new head of the PPCC Secretariat has wide range of experience working with internationally recognized establishments. She earns a Master of Science (MPA) in Public Administration, Master of Science (MIS) in Management Information System, and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration. Mrs. Meres was recruited as Executive Director via an independent and competitive recruitment process.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues at the induction ceremony, the Chairman of the Commission, Keith K. Jubah challenged Mrs. Meres to execute the mandate of the Commission and ensure that procurement monitoring and audit are conducted in all procuring entities of government. He called for a scrupulous review of all procurement plans submitted to the Commission by procuring entities of government.
The Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) was established in 2005 by an Act of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) to regulate and monitor compliance with the PPC Act. Its objective is to ensure the economic and efficient use of public funds in public procurement and to ensure that public procurement and concessions processes are conducted in a fair, transparent and non discriminatory manner.
