The Awareness Level of Green Procurement at the District Assemblies in Western Region in Ghana

James Adu Peprah,Samuel Brako,Noah Boakye Akosah

doi:10.5539/jms.v8n1p46

James Adu Peprah, Samuel Brako + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/jms.v8n1p46

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Abstract

The present study seeks to examine the awareness level of green procurement at the district assemblies in Ghana and also help create the consciousness of implementing and enforcing green procurement in the public sector effectively. The research was carried out in Eighteen (18) District Assemblies in the Western Region of Ghana using non-standard interview as the main data collection technique. The findings of the research revealed that, there are key legislations, standards and regulations regulating the assemblies’ activities on the environment and the society which affect green procurement, though there is no specific law/policy titled green procurement. These key legislations, standards and regulations have contributed to increased awareness of green procurement at the District Assemblies in Western Region tied with the recent introduction of sustainable procurement which has been included in the Public Procurement Amendment Act 2016 (Act 914). However, the study identified that the significant impact of public procurement as a policy instrument on environment appeared not to be clear to the assemblies. It is recommended that the procurement policy and the Act 663/914 should be reformed to reflect green procurement to help the districts in their quest in creating sustainable environment. The district assemblies and EPA should organise joint seminars and workshops to sensitize and create awareness among the assembly’s staff on the benefits of green procurement and the need to adopt it.

Highlights

In the recent decades, green procurement activities have taken the central stage of the global discussion of environmental problems (e.g., Walker, Helen, & Brammer, 2012; Sarkis, Joseph, & Tamarkin; Chien, & Li-Hsing, 2007)
The findings of the research revealed that, there are key legislations, standards and regulations regulating the assemblies’ activities on the environment and the society which affect green procurement, though there is no specific law/policy titled green procurement. These key legislations, standards and regulations have contributed to increased awareness of green procurement at the District Assemblies in Western Region tied with the recent introduction of sustainable procurement which has been included in the Public Procurement Amendment Act 2016 (Act 914)
On the issue of district assemblies exercising deliberate legislative and executive functions on the environment, the conclusion was that they exercise deliberate legislative and executive functions at the district when they cited Local Governance Act, 936, (2016) section 12 subsection (3) without limiting subsections (1) and (2), a district assembly shall (f) be responsible for the development, improvement and management of human settlements and the environment in the district. This is indicative of the powers of the district assemblies in protecting their environment and which they confirmed they are enforcing the law with the help of other agencies and ministries and EPA through the use of EPA -Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490) where they act in liaising and co-operation with government agencies, District Assemblies and other bodies and institutions to control pollution and generally protect the environment

Summary

Introduction

Green procurement activities have taken the central stage of the global discussion of environmental problems (e.g., Walker, Helen, & Brammer, 2012; Sarkis, Joseph, & Tamarkin; Chien, & Li-Hsing, 2007). The motivation for sustainable environmental development is that the planet earth is experiencing a severe crisis originating from various environmental problems such as natural resource depletion, global warming, biodiversity loss etc and it’s likely to degenerate due to urbanization, population growth, economic growth, intensification of agriculture, increase in energy use, increase in transportation among others. The efforts both in national and international in endorsing green growth have been intensifying because of its ability towards sustainable development and poverty reduction for instance, more sustainable use of natural resources, efficiencies in the use of energy, and valuation of ecosystem services (OECD, 2012). Total public expenditures by central and local governments (including consumption and investment expenditures) are www.ccsenet.org/jms

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