POLITICAL interference negatively affects accountability and transparency in procurement processes and unless addressed many countries in Africa will continue to suffer losses in this sector.

Charlotta Ozaki Macias, the head of development cooperation at the Swedish embassy, made this observation at the ongoing International Transparency and Accountability Conference (ITAC) 2024 here yesterday.

She however stated that Tanzania is making significant strides in alleviating that situation, citing an assessment, ‘Public Procurement Trajectories, 2023 Report’ showing that the implementation of public procurement laws and regulations improved.

Transparency, accountability and fairness in those undertakings were at a higher level, she said, while Kjetl Sichie, the Norwegian embassy deputy head of mission, said that ordinary citizens have the right to be informed on all issues of public procurement procedures as they directly affect their lives.

Nathan Belete, the World Bank country director set out the World Bank's vision of procurement activity via a consulting contract, whether it is a bridge, a health center or a wastewater management site.

“If the procurement process is managed in a way that ensures transparency and integrity in how the evaluation process is handled, the chances are that activity will be run more efficiently,” he stated.

Contributing, the board chairman of the WAJIBU Institute of Public Accountability, a local think tank, said as procurement related to how upwards of 70 percent of the national budget is used each year, “it is important to discuss procurement critically and objectively as it holds the dreams and ambitions of future generations.”

He stretched out a series of social ills that result directly from failures of procurement activities, noting that almost all public goods are acquired through public procurement processes that are guided by laws, policies and practices whose conduct leaves much to be desired.

“Today, our young women and girls experience sexual violence simply because of lack of surveillance cameras in our streets, lack of street lights, poor public facilities, poor sanitation conditions in public spaces, extreme poverty, lack of hostels for girls and boys, lack of water, poor crop yields due to overpriced fertilizers and pesticides, malnutrition and the list can go on and on,” the auditing veteran intoned.

Michael Moshiro, an executive with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) said the conference seeks to address the critical issue of enhancing procurement systems in Africa. With procurement accounting for a significant portion of national budgets across the continent, the need for effective procurement systems has never been more pressing, he stated.

In its 2024 event, ITAC focuses on fostering effective procurement systems for sustainable development in Africa, emphasizing enhanced transparency and accountability throughout the procurement lifecycle, he stated.

“This conference aims to bring together international experts, policymakers, practitioners and scholars to explore challenges, best practices and strategies for improving procurement processes in African countries,” he added.