Procurement Specialists Urged to Improve Efficiency to Save Institutional Funds

Procurement specialists in Malawi have been called upon to enhance efficiency in their service delivery to help save money for their institutions. This challenge was posed by businessman Thom Mpinganjira in Mangochi, where he officially opened the 2024 Malawi Institute of Procurement and Supply (MIPS) conference.

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Mpinganjira highlighted the significant impact that efficient procurement practices can have on the country’s economy, noting that approximately 70 percent of the government’s total budget is spent through procurement processes. He emphasized that improving procurement efficiency could lead to substantial savings.

“Efficiency in procurement would save a lot of money which can be channeled towards investment, hence growing our economy,” Mpinganjira stated. “With proper service delivery, the government or any organization can save about 20 percent or more of their money.”

He urged procurement specialists to adopt best practices that would prevent wastage of resources, ultimately contributing to the economic development of the nation.

MIPS president Miriam Jere, in her remarks, reinforced the importance of maintaining high ethical standards in procurement. She warned that the association would not tolerate any members found guilty of violating the Procurement Act, reiterating MIPS’ commitment to holding its members accountable.

Jere also revealed that in the past two years, MIPS had taken disciplinary action against five members found guilty of misprocurement and had reported these cases to the relevant authorities. “We also have some cases which are under investigation at the moment,” she added.

As Malawi seeks to improve its public and private sector spending, the role of procurement specialists in driving efficiency and upholding integrity remains pivotal. The call for enhanced service delivery in procurement is seen as a crucial step in ensuring that national resources are utilized effectively.