SPEECH BY SR. DR. HELLEN BANDIHO PSPTB CHAIRPERSON AT
THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 5TH PROCUREMENT AND
SUPPLIES PROFESSIONALS’ ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
HELD
AT
THE ARUSHA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (AICC) –
ARUSHA ON 2ND DECEMBER, 2014
Hon. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP), The Deputy Minister for Finance,
Members of the Governing Board,
The Executive Director,
Members of the conference organizing Committee,
Distinguished Conference Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Honourable, it gives me a great pleasure indeed, to take this
opportunity, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Procurement and
Supplies Professionals and Technicians Board (PSPTB), to welcome all of
you to the 5th Annual Conference of the Procurement and Supplies
Professionals, which is being held in this weather-pleasant City of
Arusha.
May I specifically, warmly welcome delegates from outside
Tanzania with hope that their stay with us in Tanzania and Arusha in
particular, will be enjoyable and memorable.
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Honourable Guest of Honour, I would like to take this opportunity on
behalf of the entire PSPTB community, to register our utmost gratitude
and appreciation for your prompt and positive response to accepting our
invitation to officiate at the opening ceremony of this conference.
Guest of Honour, we are really honoured and privileged to have you here
today, particularly because we are fully aware of your busy schedule.
The fact that you have been able to include us in your busy schedule is a
clear testimony of your recognition and the importance you attach to
this profession. We commend you very much for this decision. We have
no doubt that you share with us the challenges of attaining value for
money in procurement and supply and their decisive impact on economic
development of the nation and hence, need to be addressed.
Honourable, this is the 5th professionals’ annual conference since the
establishment of PSPTB in 2007. However its predecessor, NBMM, has
been hosting these annual professional conferences since 1986 without
fail
where
procurement
and
supplies
management
professionals
congregate to discuss matters of professional interest and exchanging
ideas on new and topical issues impinging on this profession and the
national economy at large.
As it has been noted by the Executive
Director, the Governing Board of Procurement and Supplies Professionals
and Technicians Board (PSPTB) resolved that this year’s theme should be
“Value for Money Procurement and Supply: A critical challenge for
procuring organizations”. The topics under discussion for this theme are
Challenges of Enhancing Value for Money Procurement and Supply in
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Tanzania, Creating Value for Money
in the Public Sector –Legal
perspective, The Salient Features of Value for Money -Multi-Sectorial
perspective, Procurement and Supply professionalism in the urge to
create Value in the public service delivery. Also we have set a slot for a
paper from foreign countries for the purpose of sharing experience on
challenges they face in managing procurement contracts in their
countries.
Guest of Honour, the Board understands that enhancing value for
money in Public Procurement is a common challenge in procuring
entities and hence becoming a stumbling block in our country’s
economic
development.
Further,
procurement
and
supplies
professionals, have a big role to play in addressing and overcoming these
challenges by ensuring that value for money in all procurement
transactions and contracts are attained.
Guest of Honour, after this opening ceremony presentation of papers
will follow during the next two days. Delegates will have the opportunity
to share views during discussions and consequently draw resolutions.
Guest of Honour, in this year’s conference we are expecting over 400
delegates from Tanzania and neighbouring countries.
The presence of
foreign delegates is a testimony to the fact that value for money
procurement is becoming an important issue to be globally addressed.
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Honourable, while the Government and other organizations fully agree
that failure to attain value for money in procurement and supply can
drag the national economic progress thus dwindling economic growth
rate, it is disheartening to note that the way some procurement
are
executed in this country leave much to be desired.
Guest of Honour, we are all aware of the colossal losses which
government departments and other public and private organizations
suffer yearly due to procurement and supply mismanagement. It is in
realization of these unpleasant facts that the Government of Tanzania
saw the need to establish a Board, through Act of Parliament No. 23 of
2007 to oversee and control conduct of the practitioners charged with the
duties and responsibilities of this noble profession.
Honourable, it is not my intention to dwell on the unpleasantries of
mismanagement of procurement and supplies. This fact has, for the past
30 years, been pointed out by our national leaders in such gatherings
and other platforms.
Indeed, the Government continuous support to PSPTB bear testimony to
assistance to the Board in nurturing the profession. We therefore appeal
to the Government, other stakeholders and donor community to fully
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support the Board in its endeavours to see to it that the profession is
developed and given appropriate status in the economy.
Honourable,
training,
professional
standards
examination,
and
conferring
evaluating
awards,
practical
regulating
qualifications
of
procurement and supplies practitioners are the key functions of the
Board. The training programme and examination schemes of the Board
which were initiated since 1978 have been improved, both in terms of
quality and scope, to accommodate new technological and socioeconomic changes.
Guest of Honour, so far the Board has produced 23,182 graduates in
professional examinations at different levels. These are however, merely
47% of the country’s total demand.
The pass rate of the Board’s
examinations has averaged at 44.7% in the last sitting.
Much as the
Board is not happy about this dismal performance, it cannot compromise
the standards of the examinations for the sake of increasing the number
of graduates. In this era of stiff competition we ought to be judged by the
quality of the graduates we produce and not mere numbers.
Honourable, every profession has its own way of regulating the conduct
and behaviour of its members while in practice. The best way to do this
is to keep and maintain an inventory of its members through registration
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process whereby a registered person will be issued with registration
certificate and practicing license. This Board does carry out inspection
on its professionals and people working in the procurement and supplies
function so as to ensure that they comply with code of ethics and are
registered.
However, the number of registered Professionals and
Technicians is still very low.
This is partly due to the fat that many
employers both in Government and private sectors do not abide by the
law, which requires them not to employ unregistered practitioners.
Guest of Honour, the inspection carried by the Board recently, revealed
that there is a good number of employees in the Government Service and
private sector, who are performing procurement and supplies functions
without the recognized professional qualifications. This is an abuse of
professional norms which should not be tolerated. May I make a call to
employers to see to it that non-professionals should never be allowed to
practice into this profession. Please note that the Board has provided
flexibility to allow technical cadre from other fields to study procurement
and supplies professional courses and eventually be absorbed in the
profession.
Honourable, in the recent past, Monitoring of Value for Money
Procurement has gained popularity. It is along this view that the Board
saw the need of bringing about relevant competencies, on “Value for
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Money Procurement and Supply and share with others of a critical
challenge for procuring organizations”.
Honourable, it is anticipated that at the end of the conference; though
the delegates won’t become experts in this area overnight, they will be
able to acquire some knowledge that will enable them to overcome
various
nightly
gritty
challenges
in
attaining
Value
for
money
Procurement in their organizations.
Guest of Honour, and conference delegates, let me conclude my speech
by stating that despite limited resources, the Board has, for the last 33
years of its existence, tried its best to nurture and develop this
profession. However, the Board is fully cognizant of the fact that there is
still monumental task ahead of us especially in the creation of public
awareness of the importance of Procurement and Supplies Management
in our economy, and in enforcing the provisions of the relevant PSPTB
Act No. 23 of 2007.
Honourable, let me assure you all that, the Board will spare no effort in
ensuring that we achieve our cherished ambition of becoming, not only
one of the most respected profession in the country, but also a profession
which contribute, in real terms to the economic development of the
country.
However, in order for our ambition to become a reality, we
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appeal
for
cooperation
and
support
from
the
Government,
the
professionals and other stakeholders.
Hourable Guest of Honour, I once again thank you for accepting our
invitation to be our Chief Guest today.
Honourable Guest of Honour it is now my singular pleasure and
privilege to welcome you, Hon. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP) The
Deputy Minister for Finance, to say a few words then officially open our
conference.
Honourable Deputy Minister, you are welcome.
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