The Public Procurement Regulation is intended to facilitate the implementation and integration of the Gambia Public Procurement Act of 2022. Thus, the e event was meant to complete the legal framework for the country’s procurement system, thereby enhancing transparency in the process.
At the official opening, Foday M. Jaiteh, Director General of The Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA), emphasised the significance of having a domestic crafted procurement Act.
Highlighting the critical nature of the Act, Mr. Jaiteh drew the attention of the business community, the public, and procurement authorities to several key sections of the Act that aim to empower and safeguard the rights of all stakeholders within the procurement system.
“Section 24 of the Act addresses issues related to corruption, fraud, and conflicts of interest. Section 23 pertains to the conduct of staff within procuring organizations, including the procurement authority. Section 25 focuses on the conduct of economic operators. Additionally, sections 70, 79, and 80 discuss appeal procedures, the confidential review board, and challenge proceedings, respectively.” he explained.
Mrs Juldeh Ceesay, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, said a strong public procurement is central to well functioning financial management and good public sector governance.
“A well defined procurement process can provide your organization a competitive advantage by reducing cost across the value chain causing greater efficiency in delivery of part of goods, services, assisting in product elevation, mitigating supplies risk among others.” she said.
Habib Jeng, chairman of GPPA board of governors, said it is the intention of the GPPA and its parent ministry to provide a responsive legal document to conduct public procurement in the country.
“To this end the government of The Gambia realized the need to visit the earlier public procurement act which assigned the GPPA with the responsibility of actively being part of the procurement process,” he explained.
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