Be cautious in the award of contracts-Asantehene

Kumasi, Sept. 8, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, on Tuesday advised regional ministers to be meticulous and circumspect in the discharge of their duties.

He urged them to be cautious in the award of government contracts and procurement of goods and services in order to avoid unnecessary suspicion and the likelihood to be called upon to answer questions when they leave office.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said this when regional ministers who were in Kumasi to attend a training session on the Public Procurement Law, paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia palace, on Tuesday.

The regional ministers and their deputies, who were attending the training session on public procurement planning and implementation, were led to the palace by Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister. The Asantehene reminded the ministers of the recent reported

cases of alleged malfeasance and conflict of interest in the award of

contracts and procurement of goods and services by previous government

officials and said each of them would be called upon to account for his

stewardship when they left office.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said they should take the training session seriously in order to understand the dynamics, processes, procedures and regulations involved in public procurement in order to be in a better position

to handle procurement issues. He told them to work hard to uplift their people from poverty and also create a good name for the President and the government they represent

in their regions.