By Linus Flomo
The Public Procurement Concessions Commission (PPCC) of Liberia has successfully concluded a weeklong training program on the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system.
The event held in Monrovia brought together 50 government employees from the Ministries of Public Works, State for Presidential Affairs, Health, Education, the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning, the Liberia Revenue Authority, and the PPCC itself.
The training, which culminated on Friday, August 23, 2023, was aimed at equipping participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilize the e-GP system.
In her remarks at the closing ceremony, World Bank Senior Public Sector Specialist, Gladys Senderayi, emphasized the importance of the e-GP system in modernizing public procurement in Liberia.
“The World Bank looks forward to a successful implementation of the system and its positive impact on the public procurement of Liberia,” Senderayi stated, encouraging participants to continue utilizing and expand the system across the country.
The acting Project Manager from the Project Management Unit at the Ministry of Finance Development and Planning, Momo Lombeh, also lauded the PPCC for its efforts.
He highlighted the significance of reaching this milestone, noting that the project was one of the last major initiatives signed in the final year of the previous administration.
“We are happy to reach this milestone,” Lombeh said. “This one was just signed last year in November, and we are at the point of going live early next month.”
The e-GP system, which is set to launch in early September, is designed to enhance transparency and accountability in Liberia’s procurement sector.
PPCC Executive Director, Bodger Scott Johnson, explained that the system will initially be rolled out in seven entities, including Public Works, State for Presidential Affairs, Health, Education, the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning, and the Liberia Revenue Authority, as part of a pilot project.
The project, valued at approximately US$5 million, aims to be fully implemented by 2026, with an additional 20 entities expected to join next year.
Johnson also disclosed plans to assign PPCC technicians to each county’s service center to assist those who wish to utilize the new e-GP system.
The project, funded by the World Bank, seeks to increase the effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and integrity of public procurement across Liberia.
The e-GP system, developed by European Dynamics, a software company contracted by the PPCC, is a digital platform designed to streamline procurement activities throughout the country.
The system is expected to bring significant benefits, including increased competitiveness, transparency, accountability, corruption control, adherence to the rule of law, and overall effectiveness and efficiency in government procurement processes.
