By Caroline Nassuuna
Communications Officer
ICPAU
Participants at the 3rd Public Finance Management (PFM) conference have been urged to integrate environmental, economic, social, and governance factors into procurement processes to enhance service delivery.
Speaking at the event, David Kiyingi Nyimbwa, Head of the Sustainable Procurement Secretariat at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, emphasised the far-reaching implications of procurement practices.
“The way procurement is conducted can significantly impact the environment, economy, society, and governance. It is therefore crucial to integrate sustainability into every step of the procurement cycle, ensuring alignment with stakeholder expectations,” Kiyingi stated.
He warned that unsustainable procurement leads to increased health costs, frequent replacement of substandard goods, inflated energy bills, and escalating maintenance expenses. Ultimately, society at large bears the financial burden of poor procurement and disposal decisions, as governments are forced to correct costly mistakes.
In addition, Kiara Binta Nkuranga– President Uganda National Association of Builders, Suppliers and Engineering Contractors (UNABSEC) noted that unsustainable practices have far-reaching consequences. These may involve environmental harm, failure to promote local content, procurement delays and abandonment due to poor planning, as well as production of substandard goods.
“Effective resource use reduces operational and energy costs, while efficient disposal practices enable reuse and recycling, key tenets of sustainability. Procurement is both a moral and national duty that underpins public trust and the quality of service delivery. We must reform today to secure tomorrow,” noted Binta.
During the discussions, several recommendations were identified as key drivers of sustainable procurement. These include strengthening regulatory enforcement with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) guidelines on determining fair bid qualification requirements as well as enhancement of institutional capacity and monitoring.
The PFM conference, organised by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) is being held from 23 – 25 April 2025 at the Imperial Resort Beach, Entebbe and online. The theme is Public Finance Management Systems for Sustainable Service Delivery.
The conference brings together public sector players, giving them an opportunity to dialogue among themselves, share experiences and address challenges affecting effective public service delivery. Resolutions from the conference will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to inform policy development.
The conference is organised in partnership with National Identification & Registration Authority (NIRA), National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), PostBank Uganda and Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) and MTN Uganda.
