The World Bank Practice Manager for Procurement in the Africa West and Central Regions Ms. Nazaneed Ismail Ali, together with the World Bank Ghana Procurement Country Team paid a courtesy call on Mr. Johnson Asiedu Akuamoah, Auditor-General, and Mrs. Roberta Assiamah-Appiah, Deputy Auditor-General responsible for Educational Institution and District Assemblies Department (Southern Zone) and who doubles as the Supervisor for the Bank’s Post Procurement Reviews (PPR).

On behalf of the Auditor-General, Mrs. Assiamah-Appiah, welcomed Ms. Nazaneed Ismail Ali and expressed Ghana Audit Service (GAS) appreciation to the World Bank for the continuous procurement training intervention to staff of the GAS. This has enabled GAS to train more than 400 staff in the Bank’s Procurement Guidelines and provided opportunity for staff to successfully conduct PPR.

Ms. Nazaneed, on her side, thanked the Mrs. Assiamah-Appiah for the positive working relationship with the Bank’s Country Procurement Team and the conduct of the 2023 PPRs. Also, she highlighted some challenges such as limited level of procurement competition in Ghana, untimely review of procurement threshold, administrative bureaucracy in approval processes, non-adherence to ethical procurement practices and low usage of the electronic procurement system (GHANEPS) which would require engagement with other public financial management stakeholders for improvements.

Ms. Nazaneed further intimated that it is crucial for GAS to maintain subject matter experts from the PPR Team, who can train and share knowledge with other staff colleagues on how to conduct procurement audits with focus on value for money. Again, to improve compliance with the procurement legal framework, the Bank will welcome an opportunity to provide technical support for GAS to review procurement transactions undertaken through GHANEPS and also, conduct standalone procurement value for money compliance audits.

GAS staff members who participated in the 2023 PPR shared highlights of their fieldwork experiences. Mrs. Assiamah-Appiah, in conclusion, thanked Ms. Nazaneed and the World Bank Country Team for the continuous partnership with GAS.

She iterated that GAS would avail for any opportunity to improve staff capabilities to conduct of procurement audit with emphasis on value for money and emerging procurement procedures.