PPA warns public institutions over procurement disclosure failures

The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has issued a final warning to public institutions still flouting mandatory transparency rules under the Public Procurement Act, signalling a tougher enforcement phase in the management of state contracts.

The warning follows a compliance review of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS), which found that several entities had failed to publish procurement plans and contract award details as required by law.

According to the PPA, continued non-compliance could trigger public naming, administrative sanctions, and restrictions on approvals for single-source and restricted tendering requests.

Under Sections 21 and 31 of the Act, procurement entities are required to upload procurement plans and contract award information on GHANEPS and keep them regularly updated.

The Authority says failure to comply weakens transparency, undermines competitive tendering, and limits public oversight of state spending.

It also reminded heads of procurement entities that responsibility for compliance rests directly with them under Section 18 of the Act.

The PPA stressed that procurement lapses are not just administrative issues, but leadership accountability concerns, placing responsibility squarely on institutional heads and controlling officers.

The latest warning comes amid growing scrutiny of public procurement governance, an area long associated with sole-sourcing, restricted tendering, and concerns over value for money.

Procurement issues have recently gained renewed attention following a petition by policy think tank IMANI Africa to President John Dramani Mahama over alleged irregularities in state insurance placements.

Although the PPA’s directive is not linked to any specific case, it reinforces calls for tighter enforcement and greater transparency across public contracting.

The GHANEPS platform was introduced to digitise procurement processes, improve transparency, and create an auditable trail of government contracts.