CEO, National Public Procurement Authority, Mr Fodie J Konneh

The National Public Procurement Authority is one of the key partners in the successful implementation of the Government’s ‘Big Five game changers’ agenda.

As an expenditure control arm of government, the role of the NPPA in national development cannot be overemphasized and the institution’s leadership takes this responsibility seriously.

The NPPA, with the leadership of its dynamic Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Fodie J Konneh, has taken great strides in ensuring efficiency in the public procurement landscape.

Mr. Konneh came to the procurement regulatory Authority with a wealth of experience in public sector procurement. He also has vast experience in public financial management systems. The milestones he has made in the last few months after his appointment are impressive and worthy of emulation. His commitment to his job and willingness to pave the way for others to learn are commendable. Mr. Konneh’s commitment to good governance is in perfect synergy with the president’s Big Five Game Changers agenda: “Feed Salone (Agriculture), Human Capital Development, Youth Empowerment Scheme, Revamping the Public Sector Architecture, Technology and Infrastructure.”

Procurement is the channel used by the Government to provide basic services for its citizens (Including the Big Five Agenda) therefore; effectiveness and transparency in the process are non-negotiable for the dedicated Chief Executive Officer.

Since assuming office in late 2023, Mr. Konneh has taken deliberate steps to support efficient service delivery. There is increased access to the services of the NPPA by procurement practitioners, bidders and all other stakeholders. The CEO operates an open-door policy and ensures all correspondences, including those requesting ‘no objection’ for procurement activities, are responded to in a reasonable time.

With support from the World Bank, the NPPA recently launched the Electronic Government Procurement Tender Document and the evaluation process is at an advanced stage. Once implemented, the e-GP will ensure transparency, fairness, accountability and effectiveness in public procurement. Electronic procurement transaction is designed to save time and money by preventing duplicate spending, leveraging volume buying and saving costs associated with paper-based systems. Electronically conducting procurement will make it easier for MDAs to write, analyze and store reports on their procurement systems. The e-procurement process eliminates unnecessary activities, allowing you to focus on more valuable tasks. The e-GP system will be implemented in collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure that the desired result is achieved. Special attention will be given to ensuring accessibility to all.

The CEO has participated in numerous workshops and seminars organized by sister government institutions, development partners and civil society organizations in which he highlighted the importance of the NPPA in national development and the role of other stakeholders in public procurement processes.

In February 2024, The CEO took part in a panel discussion program organized by UNOPS for women in procurement and was crowned a women’s champion for his support of women in public procurement.

Apart from participating in workshops and giving technical advice, the CEO’s strategic vision and collaborative approach have streamlined operations within the Authority and strengthened bilateral relationships with local and international partners such as the World Bank, UNDP, ADB, UN Women Sierra Leone, Chinese Embassy, Budget Advocacy Network (BAN-SL), Global Fund Sierra Leone, etc.

As the institution marks its 20th year in existence this year, the leadership is focused on consolidating all reforms that have taken place over the years. One key reform priority for Mr. Fodie Konneh’s led administration is to see that our donor partners conduct a Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR) using the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS). MAPS will help to evaluate how well the procurement system works in the country. It serves as a tool for all countries to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public procurement.

Another priority of the Chief Fodie leadership is to improve on the Annual Public Procurement Report. It provides an opportunity for MDAs to demonstrate to their stakeholders that their procurement spend is being used to best effect to achieve:

1. Better public services
2. Social, economic and environmental outcomes in their area and
3. A range of local and national policies e.g., those relating to tackling inequalities and meeting climate change obligations.

The report also provides information on how well MDAs consult and engage with stakeholders. Alongside the procurement strategy, the annual procurement report will be a key document in enabling informed engagement with MDAs. The procurement strategy and annual procurement report are now part of the reporting landscape of the NPPA.

Institutional reforms and strengthening its operations such as conducting management and functional reviews, career development paths, increased monitoring and capacity building are other areas that the current leadership has embarked on. As a regulatory institution, embarking on such drives, the Authority will increase its regulatory readiness to adapt to evolving trends and challenges in public sector procurement.  Due to certain challenges, the Authority has not been able to effectively carry out its procurement monitoring function for the past decade. Procurement Monitoring is critical in the procurement cycle as not following up on government-awarded contracts is a recipe for uncompleted contracts and loss of funds. It is laudable that the current CEO of NPPA has made procurement monitoring a priority in his agenda.

Capacity building as one of the key mandates of the Authority is of utmost importance to the Authority. As more people develop interest in public procurement either as practitioners or as bidders, there is a need for continuous training to ensure processes are followed as prescribed in the legal instruments guiding procurement.

Steps will also be taken to ensure accountability for decision-makers in MDAs and to create a supplier feedback mechanism.

A robust implementation of these measures generally supports increased transparency and visibility of public procurement and will help to embed relevant and proportionate sustainable procurement within Sierra Leone public.

It is evident that with the current crop of motivated leadership and team spirit, the NPPA is gearing towards achieving nothing but the best.