ARUSHA: DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, on Tuesday urged procurement and supplies officers to evaluate the sector’s performance in serving the public and develop solutions to address the identified challenges.
Dr Biteko also asked the professionals to properly utilise technology in ensuring quality service delivery and ensure greater efficiency.
He urged the professionals to apply technology including NeST electronic system in performing their duties. The deputy Premier was giving the remarks during the opening of the 15th Procurement and Supplies Professionals and Technicians Board (PSPTB) Conference in Arusha.
Dr Biteko said that the procurement and supplies profession was established in 2001 with the aim of ensuring productivity, transparency, quality of products, eliminating corruption in procurement and supplies as well as ensuring value for money for development projects.
“Use this meeting to assess whether you have achieved the intended goals of establishing the procurement and supplies sector, self-assessment is important in checking if the goals of your establishment and the services you provide are satisfactory to the people,” stressed Dr Biteko.
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Dr Biteko issued a strong warning to procurement and supplies professionals, urging them not to accept instructions from any individual seeking to distort procurement laws, procedures and regulations.
He stressed the importance of managing their operations through the Board and adhering to professional standards or risk being controlled by external forces. Dr Biteko explained that the introduction of the ‘Fourth Account’ system was a direct response to the bureaucratic challenges within the procurement and supplies sector.
He called on professionals to return to their ethical roots, reject corruption and provide constructive advice and sound alternatives in procurement matters. Regarding ongoing challenges, including the construction of the PSPTB offices in Dodoma, Dr Biteko encouraged the PSPTB Board to begin the construction independently while the government, through the Ministry of Finance, continues its efforts to secure the necessary funding.
He also directed the PSPTB Board to offer incentives to procurement and supplies professionals who have completed the Certified Procurement and Supplies Professional (CPSP) training, warning that failing to do so could discourage further professional development within the sector.
Deputy Minister for Finance, Hamad Hassan Chande, confirmed that the government had received the PSPTB’s request for the employment of registered procurement and supplies professionals and assured the professionals that the government is working on both the construction of the PSPTB offices in Dodoma and initiatives to improve worker welfare.
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Vice-Chairperson of the PSPTB Board, Mr Benezeth Ruta said some of the Board’s responsibilities are to oversee the quality of the procurement and supplies profession, register professionals and promote the field by producing skilled experts.
The PSPTB Executive Director, Godfred Mbanyi, emphasised the need for procurement and supplies professionals to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
