The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has organised two sessions of Contract Administration Workshops for goods and works for procurement practitioners, review committees and personnel of oversight bodies. 

The workshop which came off at the Crystal Palm Hotels in November and December last year was targeted at personnel who undertake day to day Contract Management in their respective institutions with skills in Contract Administration.  

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Acting Chief Executive of PPA, Frank Mantey stated that the training will equip practitioners with the essential skill to help them avoid the unnecessary time and cost overruns that are associated with managing public contracts. 

An interview with a participant of the workshop, Mr. William Agbenu, Head of Procurement Unit for the Fisheries Commission revealed that the contract administration workshop will assist him to be a better contract manager, train his subordinates in the procurement department on contract administration and management as well as advise his superior at the managerial level.

Topics treated included Principles of Contracting, Basics of Contract Administration, Forms and Condition of Standard Contract for Goods and Works, the Contract Administration Process, Monitoring Contract Modification, Claims and Settlement of disputes, Termination of Contract, Contract Records Management among others.

A procurement officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mrs Thermutis T. Zogblah, indicated satisfaction as she expressed her pleasure in the training.

She stated that, by the end of the training, she would have better knowledge in the contract administration and management process.

Facilitators at the workshop included Mr Mantey – the Acting CEO of PPA and Mr. Vidal Creppy – Director Capacity Development.

Participants of the Contract Administration workshop included personnel from the private and public sector such as Danadam Pharmaceuticals, Ga North Municipal Assembly, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ghana Navy etc.        

There were also participants from the Western, Volta, Northern and Ashanti Region. 

The Public Procurement Authority (PPA), since its establishment, has instituted a number of pragmatic and far-reaching initiatives aimed at ensuring maximum returns of the taxpayers' money.

These have resulted in notable achievements. In spite of these, the procurement system in Ghana continues to grapple with a number of weaknesses and bottlenecks, including weak procurement capacity in both the Public and Private sectors as well as third- party monitoring organizations.

These challenges can be attributed to the absence of credible arrangements for Contract Administration.

As part of the strategies to address the above challenges, the PPA with support from the African Development Bank (AFDB) in 2011, commissioned a consultant to develop detailed Contract Management Manuals for Goods, Works, Consultancy and Technical Services that would guide the training of Procurement Practitioners, Contract Administrators and Service Providers.