President of Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS), Collins Agyeman-Sarpong, has been awarded the Outstanding Professional Achievement in Marketing & Procurement.

He received the award during the University of Leicester (UK) Centenary Dinner and Awards Night on December 19, at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra.

The event organised by the Ghana Chapter of the University of Leicester (UK) Alumni Association was dubbed “The Future is Ours to Change. Celebration of 100 Years of Change.”

Commenting on the award received, Mr Agyeman-Sarpong noted that it is refreshing for a distinct group of intellectuals to appreciate the work of his outfit, noting that this award is for the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply.

“It feels good to have a different group of intellectuals to look at one of their own as an alumnus University Leicester-UK practising in an entirely different field and recognise the strategic contributions this person is giving to the growth and development of our Profession (Procurement and Supply Chain Management) and Country.

“The institute (GIPS) is dedicated to promoting high standards of integrity and probity in respect of the practice of procurement and supply profession in Ghana for which I am the President, therefore, the Award is for me, the council, the executive team and the entire membership of the procurement and supply chain management fraternity in Ghana.”

According to him, it was prudent to devote part of his time to developing a stronger procurement and supply management profession to help build and develop Ghana.

Mr Sarpong noted that his team realised the need to strategically do the following: registration/licensing of procurement and supply practice in Ghana, develop professional education curriculum, have training and professional examinations, student’s outreach, and consultancy services, among others.

On the assessment of both the public and private procurement landscape, the GIPS President said: “Procurement and Supply whether in private, or a public organisation must be viewed as a strategic function for which when managed well helps achieve higher profitability and efficient use of financial resources.”

He added: "Another emerging issue is the creation of various academic courses in procurement and supply chain management in our various universities for which as a professional body there is the need to collaborate with them to have their graduates well-prepared to practice as professionals and not like any other certificates obtained from a university."

To change the narrative, he suggested that a Procurement Directorate is set up instead of Procurement units in all government and Private organisations and resource it with Procurement Professionals as stated in Section 19 of the amended Act 914 (2016).

Mr Sarpong also suggested that non-Procurement professionals should avoid heading and working in the procurement departments.

He continued: "CEOs and Heads of Governments institutions should attach seriousness to the recruitment, resourcing and running of the procurement function of their organisations because anytime the law wants to bite, they cannot absolve themselves from wrongdoing."