Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Defence Minister, has called on the entity tender committees of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ministry of Defence to adhere to all procurement procedures to ensure the delivery of value for money services.

He urged the committees to discharge their duties in a professional manner and conduct their activities in a fair and transparent manner, oversee the tendering process with equity and fairness.

Mr Nitiwul made the call during the joint inauguration of entity tender committees for the GAF and the Ministry of Defence and an audit committee in Accra.

He said the committees should follow the procurement process as prescribed in the Public Procurement Amended Act (Act 914) of 2016 and endeavour to be punctual at all meetings.

He said government has attached great importance to the issues of Public Procurement in the public and civil services and has created a Ministry to strengthen the processes.

He noted that government was making a firm commitment to ensure the procedures were conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

On the audit committee, he called on the members to implement the recommendations contained in internal audit reports, parliament’s decision on the Auditor-General’s Report and its Management letter.

“From your backgrounds and enormous experience exhibited over the years, it is expected that you will bring your professional expertise to bear in the execution of your duties within the committee,” he added.

He also directed the Ministry's Audit Committee to retrieve some $700,000 lost through unexecuted projects.

The Ghana Armed Forces between 2006 and 2009 awarded the 700,000 dollar contract to some 4 contractors, who failed to execute the contracts.

But government's efforts to retrieve the contract sums have, however, proved futile.

He, therefore, gave the assurance that the monies would be retrieved.

Members of the Ministry of Defence Entity Tender Committee included Major Derek Oduro (Rtd), Chairman, Dr Evan Dzikum, Mr Toka Mahami, Mrs Catherine A. Appiah-Pinkrah, Mr M. W. Attipoe, Mr William Kpobi, Mr Steven Amoaning-Yankson, Mr Benjamin Baidoo and Mr John Anthony Ndede.

For the Ministry’s Audit Committee, members are Dr Evan A. Dzikum-Chief Director, Mr Toka Mahami-Director (Finance and Administration), Mrs Patience Austin- Representative Internal Audit Agency and Mrs Agnes Otoo Yeboah-Representative-Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana).

For Members of the GAF Entity Tender Committee included Rear Admiral M. Beick-Baffour-Chief of Staff, Brigadier-General A.K Dzisi-Defence Financial Controller, Air Commodore JSK Dzamefe- Director, General Logistics, Lt. Col B. Kwao-Adotey-Director Army Logistics, Croup Capt. F. Oboi Wellington-Director, Supply Armed Forces, Headquarters and Col T.K Mensah-Defence Procurement.