Integrating Environmental and Social Considerations into Public Procurement Practice in Ghana

Background: The integration of sustainable elements in the public procurement practice in Ghana is beginning to receive attention in Ghana. This has even necessitated the amendment of the country's procurement act; Act 663 to include sustainable requirements and demands. This study assessed how environmental and social factors could be integrated into the public procurement system in Ghana and the readiness of practitioners. Methods: The study was a survey. The researcher sampled purposively twenty three procurement officers from eight Ministries in Ghana. Data was analyzed descriptively. Results: In all, 19 practitioners representing 82.6% of procurement practitioners affirmed to their awareness of sustainable procurement. The same (82.6%) affirmed that there was system to manage environmental impact in Ghana's procurement system. However the findings of the study demonstrates that only 47.8% of respondents believed and considered that social improvement of the populace was highly prioritized during making public procurement decisions. Conclusion: There is a strong requirement that the Public Procurement Authority build the capacity of procurement officers. Procurement officers should be trained regularly to understand the relevance and role environmental and social factors play in ensuring sustainable procurement. Again the government should fast tract with the review of the public procurement Act that seeks to entrench sustainable requirements in the public procurement practice