adminBusiness Reporter
GLOBAL Procurement and Supply Chain Management Practice managing partner Dr Masimba Dahwa says regulating procurement and supply would help curb corruption. Dr Dahwa made the remarks ahead of the Southern Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Management Symposium scheduled for Victoria Falls from October 1 to 3, 2013. He said procurement and supply management should be a regulated profession just like the accounting and law professions that are bound by strict rules and regulations. Dr Dahwa said presently, after being involved in corrupt procurement and supply activities, people can leave their job and take up another with exactly the same duties.
But if the profession becomes regulated professionals who break best practice rules would face punitive action thereby reducing corruption in procurement and supply.
“We need to say no one should do procurement unless they are qualified. In Zambia it is now a profession like accounting and law. Zambia is the only country in Africa where procurement is a profession where only qualified people do procurement,” he said.
Dr Dahwa said what is obtaining in Zambia regarding procurement and supply management was really something Zimbabwe should aspire to as a measure to curb corruption. In this regard, the symposium scheduled for Victoria Falls next month will devote time on discussing the need to regulate procurement and supply as a profession in Africa. Among the high profile delegates to attend the symposium will be Ghanaian professor Douglas Boateng, Africa’s first professor of procurement and supply chain management.
Chartered Institute of Purchasing Supply managing director Andre Coetzee, Institute of Directors Zimbabwe executive director Mr Edward Siwela and CIPS (UK) and Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply fellow Mr Misheck Kaoma will also attend.
The three-day event would also be graced by several other unnamed experts in procurement from Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Economic Planning and Investment Promotion permanent secretary Dr Desire Sibanda will be the guest of honour. Dr Dahwa said the symposium seeks to explore ways in which procurement and supply management professionals are involved in planning economic growth and development.
“What we need is to create a forum and platform for procurement and supply management and development professionals to come together to assist in planning for sustainable economic development and prosperity of the region,” Dr Dahwa said.
“There is a huge gap at the moment due to less involvement of procurement and supply chain professionals in issues of sustainable economic growth and development,” he said.
Dr Dahwa said procurement professionals facilitate transactions for up to 70 percent of the gross domestic product of a country but do not influence economic policy.
He said procurement and supply chain management professionals should be regarded as strategic partners who give internal and external stakeholders critical advice.
Dr Dahwa contends that focus should be directed at how procurement and supply chain management professionals should be treated in planning for growth and development.
Procurement and supply chain management focuses on getting the right goods from the right supplier at the appropriate time, ideal price and in the right quantities.
Procurement and supply management consultancy firm GPSCM will convene the forum in collaboration with CIPS; an education, training and certification institutions.
Online Reporter