News:
October 30, 2017
The Member of Parliament of Parliament for Ashiaman, Ernest Norgbey has raised red flag over the expenditure of over Ghc 9.98million by the Ministry of Agriculture to procure insecticides through sole sourcing to fight fall army worm which has devastated farms throughout the country.
The Member said the Ministry breached provisions of the Public Procurement Act since the Act does not make room for the Public Procurement Authority to retrospectively grant procurement approvals.
Mr Norgbey raised the concern in a follow up question when he asked the Minister for Agriculture what procurement method was used to procure insecticides for the army worm eradication.
In response, a Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Dr Sagre Bambagi said the PPA has granted the Ministry to use a single source procurement method to engage various supplies to undertake the procurement of insecticides in accordance with section 40 (1) (c) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003Act 663.
The deputy Minister explained that the Ministry used that approach in order to procure the insecticides to promptly control the fall armyworm effects on farmlands.
According to him, the urgency of the situation and its expected negative impact on families and food security necessitated a prompt action.
‘’Considering the urgency of the situation and the impact on food security and farm families, the Hon Minister submitted a memorandum to Cabinet for support to fund the management of the fall armyworm throughout the country’’ he said.
Dr Bambagi who is also the MP for Walewale said a total twelve Agrochemical companies were engaged to supply the insecticides that were used to control the armyworm menace.
By Christian Kpesese/ghanamps.com