By Janet A. Sesay
The National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) in partnership with the government of Sierra Leone, World Bank and African Development Bank (ADB) has launched the Methodology for Assessing Procurement system (MAPS) which is a bold step taken by the government in commitment to building a procurement system that is transparent and globally aligned.
This launch ceremony took place on Thursday, 5th December, 2024 at the Sierra Palms hotel Aberdeen in Freetown on the theme: “Building stronger procurement system for sustainable development “.
During the launch, Sylvester B. Allieu, Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources, in his statements welcomed different stakeholders to the official launch of MAPS (the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems).
He said it is a privilege and an honor to serve as the moderator for the landmark event, adding that it is an event that marks a significant step forward in Sierra Leone’s pursuit of transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public procurement.
Mr. Allieu furthered that the event is historic, as it is the first time Sierra Leone is undertaking a comprehensive MAPS assessment.
MAPS he furthered is an internationally recognized framework designed to evaluate and strengthen public procurement systems, adding that it provides a clear roadmap for identifying inefficiencies, aligning practices with global standards and ensuring value for money in the use of public resources.
He said the MAPS study is built around four critical pillars: Legal, Regulatory, Policy Framework – which examines the foundation of our procurement laws and regulations, and Institutional and Management Capacity – assessing the strengths and effectiveness of procurement institutions, Procurement Operations and Market Practices which focus on how procurement processes are executed and the market’s response to them and Accountability, Integrity, and Transparency of Public Procurement which evaluate measures to ensure ethical practices, reduce corruption, and enhance public trust.
Mr. Allieu continued that in the context of Sierra Leone, MAPS is more than just a technical exercise, adding that it is a critical enabler of president Bio’s vision for economic growth and national development, as articulated through his Big Five Game Changer initiatives.
He said the discussions and presentations will underscore the transformative potential of
MAPS in Sierra Leone’s public procurement landscape, adding: “As we embark on this journey, let us remember that the success of this initiative depends on the active engagement and collaboration of all stakeholders government, the private sector, civil society, and our international partners.”
He thanked stakeholders for joining them for this milestone occasion, adding that they should make this launch a moment of reflection, commitment, and inspiration “as we work toward a brighter future for Sierra Leone.”
In her key note address, the Deputy Minister of Finance 1, Mrs. Kadiatu Allie said this initiative represents a bold step forward in commitment to building a procurement system that is transparent, efficient, and globally aligned. She acknowledged the leadership and vision of the president whose transformative agenda has guided their national development efforts, adding that the president in his Big Five Game Changer has laid the foundation for this celebrated progress celebrated, which remains critical to the success of initiatives like MAPS.
Minister Kadiatu also extended her sincere gratitude to the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the National Public Procurement Authority for their invaluable support and collaboration in making this moment possible.
She furthered that this is the government’s commitment to reform the country through the Big Five Game Changers, adding that since 2018 president Bio’s Big Five Game Changer initiatives have driven systemic reforms across the country like focusing on education, human capital development, economic diversification, infrastructure, and governance.
She said each of these priorities aligns seamlessly with their efforts to reform public procurement and build an equitable society. She said the Free Quality Education ensures transparency procurement processes for educational infrastructure, learning materials, and services, adding that they are reinforcing the president’s flagship initiative which seeks to empower every Sierra Leonean child with quality education.
Madam Minister Kadiatu also stated that Human Capital Development is also a robust procurement system and this will support investments in healthcare, skills training, social protection, enhancing the well-being and productivity of our citizens.
She continued that Economic Diversification is also important by streamlining procurement for key sectors like agriculture, fisheries and tourism, adding that this creates opportunities for local businesses, attract investments and drive sustainable economic growth.
Infrastructure Expansion she said are transparent and efficient procurement processes essential for delivering critical infrastructure projects-roads, energy and housing-that form the backbone of development aspirations. She said in governance and with accountability through initiatives like MAPS, they are strengthening the very systems that underpin good governance, ensuring that public funds are utilized efficiently and for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans, adding that these initiatives, underpinned by the government’s steadfast commitment to reform, provide the strategic framework within which they can address corruption, inefficiency and inequity in public sector procurement.
Minister Kadiatu also stated that the role of MAPS in enhancing procurement systems is a powerful tool for achieving the goals of the Big Five Game Changers by evaluating the performance of the country’s procurement systems.
She said MAPS will enable the country to identify and address systemic weaknesses thorough diagnostics of our procurement processes and this will highlight inefficiencies and gaps that need urgent attention. She furthered that by aligning with Global Standards, MAPS allows them to benchmark the procurement practices against international best practices, ensuring credibility and competitiveness on the global stage.
This she also said promotes transparency and accountability, adding that transparent procurement is critical for minimizing corruption and ensuring equitable access to opportunities for all stakeholders and also in Support of Economic Growth it improves efficiency and reduces costs.
The Minister furthered that MAPS will enhance the government’s ability to deliver services and infrastructure that drive economic growth and fosters trust in governance, adding that citizens and development partners will have greater confidence in a procurement system that is fair, accountable, and aligned with international norms.
She added that procurement reform is a catalyst for National Development as reforming procurement systems is not an isolated activity, since it is integral to our broader national development agenda, transparency and efficient procurement processes.
Minister Kadiatu in her keynote address said in Strengthening Public Service Delivery they ensure that essential services like education, healthcare and infrastructure are delivered efficiently and effectively. She said building Investor Confidence is a fair and open procurement system that attracts domestic and international investors, creating jobs and fostering innovation and to enhance social equity is by reducing corruption and inefficiency, procurement reform ensures that resources are distributed equitably benefiting all citizens, particularly marginalized communities.
She ended that as they have launched MAPS, they will embark on a journey to transform Sierra Leone’s procurement systems and strengthen the pillars of good governance, which success depends on the collective effort of all stakeholders, government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and development partners.
She urged everyone to approach this initiative with commitment and a shared sense of purpose, adding that everyone should build a procurement system that not only meets international standards but also reflects the values of integrity, equity, and accountability.
The Government of Sierra Leone she said remains fully committed to supporting MAPS, and they will provide the necessary resources, institutional backing, and political will to ensure its success.
“Together, we can create a procurement system that inspires trust, delivers value for money, and drives sustainable development for all Sierra Leonean,” she stated.
Senior Procurement Specialist at the World Bank, Lina Tutunji in her statements said public procurement is a strategic function of Government, and it plays a significant role in the economy.
Madam Tutunji said this is central to promoting effective governance and improving public service delivery, adding that procurement opportunities offered by the government are an important source of business for the private sector, which, in turn, is an important source of jobs for citizens.
She said creating accountable and transparent public procurement systems ensures the scarce use of public money efficiently to achieve best value for money. She furthered that this also improves the Doing Business environment for the private sector and enhances citizens’ confidence in the public sector. This, in turn, she said will encourage greater private sector investment and job creation.
Madam Tutunji said the Government of Sierra Leone has Public Procurement Policies and Procedures in place since the year 2004 when the first Public Procurement Policies were enacted as well as establishment of the National Public Procurement Authority a regulatory body with a mandate for procurement regulation, system development, oversight and capacity building.
She said considerable amount of work went into developing standard by tendering documents, training of public officials and private sector actors as well as oversight of procurement and contract implementations.
Acknowledging the importance of public procurement, she said the World Bank has been supporting procurement reforms and modernization efforts for several years through financing and technical assistance.
She said recent accomplishments supported by the World Bank include development of e-Procurement Business, Process Reengineering, implementation strategy, policy framework and tender document. The contract she added is for establishment of e-procurement and has been signed and its development has been launched. She furthered that this reform will improve on transparency, integrity efficiency and value for money in procurement process.
Madam Tutunji added that the World Bank and African Development Bank in collaboration with MoF and NPPA are jointly supporting the assessment of the public procurement system using MAPS which is being launched, and the assessment provides an excellent opportunity for the government alongside key stakeholders to take stock of the improvements accomplished to date, identify possible and significant gaps that have an adverse impact on the quality and performance of the public procurement system, including on the ability of the system to support and promote the country’s socio-economic, environmental and other development policies that provide recommendations for improvements and support the preparation of an action plan for further enhancements, aligned with the Government’s vision and objectives.
She said to maximize the benefits from this exercise, it is important to ensure collaboration by various stakeholders and provide access to necessary data including data on budgets, procurement, contracts and payments.
She said they are committed to support the Government in ensuring timely and successful completion of the assessment and in the subsequent implementation of priority recommendations.
Other development partners also made important statements.