She said given the components that constitute Free SHS, she noticed that the program was going to be laden with a lot of procurement activities and in order not to flout the procurement regulations, her decision to pay a working visit on Monday to learn at first hand the kind of procurement methods being used and to advise accordingly.

Adwoa Safo noted that Free SHS is an important government flagship which has attracted diversional opinions and now that it is being implemented in few weeks; it did not need any further controversies especially, regarding the procurement processes.

However, after receiving briefings from Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh over how his outfit was going about the procurement processes, she was left with no other choice than to commend the Education Minister and his team for a good job done.

She used the opportunity to also advise Dr. Opoku Prempeh and his team to be mindful of a new directive from cabinet to seek its approval of any procurement that exceeds the GH₵50million threshold.

The Public Procurement Minister used the occasion to inform the Education Minister and his team about some of the government policies she is implementing to strengthen the country’s procurement system to ensure value for money.

For instance, she said in order to strengthen the capacities of local contractors, the government has made a policy where 70% of all its contracts or projects shall be awarded to local contractors.

Out of this 70%, 30% of the contracts or projects shall be awarded to Persons With Disability (PWDs), women and those in youth employment.

“It is a policy the government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is committed to implementing. Very soon, my office will come out with how it is going to be done,” she noted.

She also told Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and his team about efforts her ministry is putting in place to get the two existing Public Procurement Act (Act 663) and Public Procurement (Amended) Act (Act 914) harmonized for easy reading and referencing.

She also disclosed plans by her office to establish an e-platform where the database of the records of all contractors involved in government projects to enable them to rate their performances from time to time.

“With this database, the citizenry could at any giving time, assess the performance of all the contractors to know who is doing well and who is doing badly,” she explained.

On his part, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, expressed his outfit’s appreciation to Hon. Adwoa Safo’s visit and noted that the government’s flagship free SHS policy would be implemented with due regards to the laws of the land.

He said the policy which is packed with equity, quality and employable skills would be rolled out in three weeks time and was very optimistic that its successful implementation will inure to the benefits of all.

The Education Minister further noted that despite the heavy investment the government is doing in the implementation of the Free SHS policy, his outfit would also ensure that subsidies for continuing students, capitation grant, and teacher-trainee allowances are promptly paid.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Free SHS policy procurement plan laudable – Adwoa Safo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Her name was among a list of four new ministers of state at the presidency/ministry that was presented to Parliament for vetting and approval.

The other three ministers of state appointed include, Minister of State at the Office of the President, Brian Acheampong, Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nurah Gyeile and Minister of State at the Ministry of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Kwesi Yankah.

This brings to 14, the number of persons appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo as Ministers of State at the presidency, with 26 others serving as substantive ministers, bringing the number to 40.

The President also on Wednesday, named 50 persons as Deputy Ministers. In all, the President’s ministerial appointments come to 110, the highest since the fourth Republic.

What will be Adwoa Sarfo’s role?

It is unclear what the role of Adwoa Sarfo would be at the Presidency in charge of Public Procurement, considering that the Public Procurement Authority already exists.

The NPP while in opposition argued that, sole sourcing allowed corruption, and benefited a privileged few in the NDC government.

Adwoa Safo, a professional lawyer with specialization in Procurement Law, is thus perhaps expected to push for major changes in public procurement.

She once worked as the first legal officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) for two (2) years, and was very instrumental in the formulation of the proposals that formed the basis for the creation of the Appeals and Complaint Panel of PPA, and the change of the name Public Procurement Board to Public Procurement Authority.

Adwoa Safo calls for more power for procurement authority

At a recent news conference in February, she advocated for the amendment of the public procurement act to give the Procurement Authority, the powers to conduct value for money auditing on sole-sourced projects.

She described as sad, revelations by the Auditor General’s annual reports that 80 percent of the procurement malpractices are centred on sole sourcing.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Adwoa Sarfo named minister of state in charge of procurement appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Professor Mike Oquaye has also been named as the Speaker of Parliament, while Joseph Osei-Owusu, the Member of Parliament for Bekwai constituency, has been named as the First Deputy Speaker.

Citi News sources say the National council of the party unanimously settled for the leaders at its meeting today [Thursday].

The 59-year-old Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has served in parliament for over 12 years, and has been the leader of the minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in parliament for about 4 years.

His deputy, Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, 35, is the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya constituency and has been in Parliament since 2012.

Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East constituency, has also been named as the Chief Whip of the incoming majority side.

He will be deputised by the Member of Parliament for Trobu constituency, Moses Anim.

‘Haruna Iddrisu to be minority leader’

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has been named as the leader for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) minority side in the next parliament.

He will be deputized by the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi.

Other leaders selected for the side are Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, who will maintain his position as the Chief Whip, with the Member of Parliament for Banda, Ahmed Ibrahim, and the Member of Parliament for Ada East, Hon. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah,  serving as deputy chief whips.

Meanwhile outgoing Majority leader, Alban Bagbin has been tipped to become second deputy Speaker of the House in the Seventh Parliament starting January 7, 2017.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Kyei Mensah-Bonsu confirmed as Majority leader, Adwoa Sarfo is deputy appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.