By Amadou Jadama
The Gambia Public Procurement Authority, GPPA, has commenced a six-days retreat to review its procurement regulations to ensure they align with international standards. The retreat is considered critical in ensuring that the GPPA regulatory framework is fully compliant with its new 2022 Act. The event held at the Sindola hotel brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Competition Commission, Office of the President, Complaints Review Board, Procurement Cadre, and the Ministry of Justice.
Addressing the retreat, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Abdoulie Jallow, said public procurement is the backbone of the government’s operations.
He said the government is committed to continuing to respect all procurement regulations.
“The idea is to come up with means and initiative to promote transparency and accountability. We believe that would reduce corruption and missuse of public funds. The regulations would facilitate efficient procurement processes,” he said.
The GPPA Director General, Phoday M. Jaiteh, said the retreat is carefully planned to serve as a bridge between policy reforms and the practical and operational implementation of the 2023 Gambia Public Procurement Regulations.
“As we are all aware, public procurement plays an essential role in the socio-economic development of our nation. It is through efficient, transparent, and accountable procurement processes that we can ensure the effective use of public resources, foster economic growth, and build public trust in our institutions. The 2023 regulations are a significant step forward in our continued efforts to enhance these processes, bringing them in line with international best practices while also addressing the unique challenges of our local context,” he said.
He added, “Our goal is to ensure that, when we return to our respective offices, we are fully equipped to translate these policies into effective, actionable strategies that can be seamlessly integrated into our day-to-day operations. Let us approach this retreat with a shared sense of purpose and urgency.”
Jaiteh said it is the responsibility of government institutions to ensure that these regulations are not just a set of guidelines on paper but to drive positive change in how public procurement is conducted in The Gambia.
“I have every confidence that through our collective efforts, we will emerge from this retreat with a clear, unified vision for the implementation of the Gambia Public Procurement Regulations 2023. A vision that will lead to more efficient, transparent, and equitable procurement processes, ultimately contributing to the betterment of our nation, “he added.
Ibraima Sanyang, Director of Procurement Policy and Operation, said the enactment of the GPPA Act 2022 marks a significant milestone in “our efforts to enhance public procurement processes in the Gambia.”.
“It is now our responsibility to ensure that our regulatory framework fully reflects the provisions of this new legislation.”.
