WORKS and Supply Minister Yamfwa Mukanga has urged Purchasing and Supply practitioners to uphold high standards of professionalism and integrity to instill confidence in the public.
Mr Mukanga said the mismanagement of procurement and supply function always had serious adverse effects on the economy such as increased costs for goods and services ,misapplication of funds, mismanagement of funds, lack of transparency and accountability and wastage of materials.
He said it was an open secret that most queries in the Auditor General’s Reports were highlighted under the procurement and supply function.
The Minister was speaking during the fourth Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS),annual National Conference held at Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone yesterday.
Mr Mukanga, who was also conferred with the ZIPS Lifetime membership, urged professionals in the procurement and supply field to wake up and start defending the profession by ensuring that the established procedures and guidelines were followed by all.
“There would be no cost effective development without procurement that is how important this procurement and supply profession is.
“Procurement Professional Development is now quickly gaining priority on the agenda of Government, co-operating partners and in most progressive organisations in Zambia, Africa and globally. This is coming from the realisation that Procurement and Supply plays a strategic function in the economic sector of every country, ”Mr Mukanga said.
He said the 2016 ZIPS theme ‘The role of strategic procurement in the face of local and global economic challenges,’ was well placed as it articulated national issues and Government was happy that it was related to Government policy and the welfare of the people of Zambia.
Mr Mukanga said Zambia in the last 50 years had experienced a lot of challenges and achievements in the various sectors of the economy.
He said his Government had identified the need to reduce poverty and create jobs as a priority while education, health and agriculture had been identified as priority areas also in order to create jobs for the youth in the country.
He said that Government had embarked on public financial management reforms supported by donors aimed at improving transparency, accountability and efficiency.
ZIPS President Chibwe Mwelwa said his organisation needed to be rebranded in order to reflect the caliber and aspirations of the people.
Mr Mwelwa applauded Government for its efforts to employ procurement officers in various departments.
“Government has continued to support the works of ZIPS and we are happy that they are putting effort to employ procurement officer at different levels.
“But we appeal to Government to employ qualified and licensed procurement officers,” he said.
This is another agency that needs clean up. I think when a new government comes in power. They should fire each and every single person and start afresh with new people because each government institution is infested with PF corrupt carders
This idoit of a minister is simply giving lip service…we know it has to do with the politicians themselves who are pushing through their companies or favoured companies for kickbacks…with this caliber of minister its ironic and utterly laughable for a dull chap like Mukanga can be advising practitioners to uphold high standards of professionalism.