Ghana’s economy is losing billions of cedis each year due to unqualified and unlicensed procurement officers, warns Prof. Douglas Boateng, a leading governance and supply chain expert. Speaking at the 2025 National Procurement and Supply Conference in Accra, he urged the government to make professional licensing mandatory to protect public funds and drive national development.
Prof. Boateng, who chairs the Public Procurement Authority board, compared unqualified officers to “unlicensed surgeons.” He said their decisions have serious consequences for Ghana’s development. Without proper training and accountability, billions meant for schools, hospitals, and industries continue to be wasted.
“Every inefficient cedi spent robs the nation of opportunities to build factories, equip schools, and create jobs,” he said. He also called for new laws requiring procurement professionals to be certified and follow strict ethical standards—similar to doctors, lawyers, and accountants.
Currently, Ghana’s procurement laws focus more on process than on professional qualifications. Prof. Boateng believes this must change. According to him, reforming the system would promote competence, transparency, and value for money. As Ghana works under IMF conditions and pursues industrial growth, he warned that procurement reform could be the country’s “development engine—or its economic Achilles’ heel.”
Professionalizing procurement, he added, would reduce waste, build public trust, and support local industries. Moreover, Ghana’s success could serve as a model for other African nations facing similar inefficiencies in public spending.
