Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has called on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to fully comply with Ghana‘s procurement laws to build a transparent, efficient, and accountable public procurement system.
Speaking at the 11th Public Procurement Forum organised by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) under the theme “GHANEPS: Enhancing Transparency, Efficiency and Effectiveness in Public Procurement,” Mr Ampem emphasised that adherence to procurement regulations was essential for fiscal prudence, job creation, and public confidence in government.
He noted that public procurement remained a powerful tool for economic transformation, stating that the World Bank estimated Ghana’s procurement spending at between 13 and 20 percent of GDP. In practical terms, he said about 40 percent, equivalent to GH¢87 billion of total domestic revenue projected for 2025, would pass through the public procurement system.
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“So if we are going to spend that quantum, close to GH¢90 billion through procurement, it is significant to ensure that the procurement processes are done well. It is therefore imperative that we safeguard this process,” he said.
Mr Ampem, who is also the Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, disclosed that the government had amended the Procurement Act in 2025 to close critical gaps and strengthen compliance and enforcement mechanisms, ensuring closer alignment with other public financial management systems.
He said the government had integrated the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) with the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to improve transparency and efficiency.
“It enables seamless verification of budgeted projects and ensures that only duly approved contracts are processed for payments. We processed one transaction at the Ministry of Finance using this integration and have asked the Ministry to lead in the implementation,” he added.
The Deputy Minister described GHANEPS as central to Ghana’s transparency agenda, saying it would promote accountability, value for money, and data-driven decision-making across the public sector.
Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority, Mr Frank Mante, highlighted that e-procurement had become a global standard in tackling corruption and inefficiency in public contracting.
“Electronic procurement helps us save time and cost, improves efficiency, and reduces waste. It is a key source of data, impacts SMEs positively, and supports better decision-making,” he said.
Mr Mante cited international examples of Indonesia and Somalia, where e-procurement reduced corruption incidents, and South Korea, where the system helped expand the business and financial ecosystem from $119 billion in 2001 to $909 billion in 2011.
He said Ghana could achieve similar success by deepening the adoption of GHANEPS across government institutions.
The year 2026, he added, would mark three decades since Ghana began comprehensive procurement reforms under the Public Financial Management Reform Programme in 1996, leading to the enactment of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), and its amendment in 2016—establishing the legal foundation for fairness, transparency, and non-discrimination in public procurement.
