The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Blood Service, Dr. Shirley Owusu Ofori has been referred to the Attorney General’s office by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) over alleged breaches of the Public Procurement Act (PPA).
The Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) and its regulations outline the framework for the procurement of goods, works, and services by public entities. One of the procurement processes mentioned is restricted tendering, which involves inviting only a limited number of suppliers to submit bids for a project or contract, usually during emergencies or disasters.
Dr. Shirley Owusu Ofori, CEO of the National Blood Service, was flagged in the 2022 Auditor General’s report for conducting single source or restricted tendering without prior approval from the Public Procurement Authority. The committee, chaired by James Klutse Avedzi, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, highlighted the failure of the National Blood Service to undertake a ratification exercise to seek retrospective approval from the PPA to legitimize the sole source procurement.
Dr. Ofori informed the committee that a letter has been submitted to seek retroactive approval, pending response. However, the committee stressed that failure to obtain this approval would result in the CEO being surcharged with the amount involved. In the meantime, the CEO has been referred to the Attorney General’s office for potential prosecution.
Mr. Avedzi expressed concern over the frequent use of sole sourcing by agencies under the Ministry of Health, particularly when there are no emergencies or disasters. Some agencies have engaged in sole sourcing contracts as high as GHS 3.7 million without involving the PPA. Mr. Avedzi questioned why these agencies did not opt for competitive bidding by inviting three quotations from interested parties, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in procurement processes.
