Yesterday, Chief Executive Officer of the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) – Ibrahim Brima Swaray, presented his 2018 Public Procurement Assessment Report to President Dr Julius Maada Bio, which outlines details of procurement spending by government departments and agencies under the former APC government, as well as president Bio’s New Direction government.
Discussing the report, which is yet to be made public, Ibrahim Brima Swaray said that over the years most of the leakages in national spending had come from procurement activities, adding that when he took office he knew exactly what the government wanted and how to go about it.
The procurement chief also stated that in line with global best practice they, as a regulatory body, will ensure a thorough analysis of how much government spends on public procurement and how that money is spent.
In his response, President Bio said that he is delighted to have the report because it is in line with his government’s promise to ensure the efficient running of state institutions, and making sure that public funds are properly spent.
The country’s National Audit Office, in their report, found that in 2018 alone, millions of dollars were either wasted or misappropriated by government officials through departmental public procurement.
