Poor salaries of PPA staff could compromise their work - PAC Chairman

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, James Klutse Avedzi, is of the view that, the poor remuneration of the staff of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) makes them prune to corrupt practices in carrying out their work.

Citing an incident to buttress a point, the Ketu North Member of Parliament said there was a case where the Authority engaged a corporate lawyer on a contract term and was paying him GH¢4000.

However, he explained, when the said lawyer was regularised, his salary dropped to GH¢2000, a situation he noted, could negatively affect the work of the Authority.

Dr Avedzi said many of the staff at the PPA are paid meagre salaries, hence making them more vulnerable to compromise on their work, particularly when offered inducement.

“What we have realised as the reason the Procurement Authority is doing that is that the Head or the people there; most of them —(1); the salaries are nothing to write home about

Now, that was on contract, but when this lawyer was regularised, [went] through the Public Service Commission, and eventually given an appointment letter, the salary dropped to GH¢2000.”

“And so, we realised that the salaries is one motivating factor that when these requests come to them, probably with some purse, they will be willing……” to compromise on their work.