Browsing by Author "Kye - Duodu, Emmanuel Kofi Peprah"

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    Procurement of innovative goods & services under the public procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663): the case of the procurement of biometric systems for the 2012 general elections in Ghana
    (November, 2015 ) Kye - Duodu, Emmanuel Kofi Peprah
    The overarching objective of this study was to explore the provisions under the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) for the procurement of innovative goods, services and how the Electoral Commission used the provisions to purchase of the Biometric system for the 2012 General Elections as a case study. Innovative public procurement is when public entities act to procure nonexistent goods or services. The urgent demand for fairer, transparent and credible elections has seen the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in most electoral activities, a development that has considerably improved election administration in many countries. Biometric systems have become the main response to voter impersonation and multiple voting practices. This study used both the stratified and simple random sampling techniques to collect data from twenty-seven (27) key and relevant personnel at the Head Office of the Electoral Commission of Ghana. Using the relative importance index the study found that the main objectives of introducing the BVR were to eliminate multiple registration and impersonation which affect the credibility of the register. The five most important challenges encountered during the procurement of the BVR were the lack of familiarity with procurement rules by procurers and other stakeholders resulting into poor compliance levels; ineffective engagement between procurers and suppliers; bureaucracy; insufficient expertise and complexity of substantive issues involved in public procurement of innovative goods, services and works. Based on the findings of this study especially with respect to the challenges of procuring innovative products, works and services, recommendations made included training of employees/procurers, improving upon the communication channel among procurement entity and suppliers; good record keeping, streamlining the procurement function at the EC and fair compensation and reward.