Challenges in public procurement in Kwahu West Municipal Assembly, Ghana

Abstract

Public procurement is a legal means by which goods, works and services are acquired by public entities including District Assemblies to promote development. Although the procurement process is to enhance judicious government spending, it has been seen as bureaucratic and cumbersome. This study set out to examine challenges that characterise public procurement process in Kwahu West Municipal Assembly within the legal framework in Ghana. Qualitative approach was employed in the study. Purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were used to draw participants for the study while interview guides and focus group discussion guides were used in data collection. The study found that low level of professionalism on the part of suppliers and contractors, bureaucracy, corruption and political interference characterised the procurement process and recommended that citizens should be concerned about how their monies are being spent by monitoring the procurement process in order to achieve value for money.

Keywords: Bureaucracy, Corruption, Development, Government, Procurement