Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, says government remains committed to ensuring that procurement practices are aligned with principles of transparency, efficiency and accountability.

Mr Kangwa says the desire of the government is to see that the procurement process contributes to enhanced service delivery.  

He said this in a speech read for him by Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Gabriel Pollen, during the official opening of the Procurement Committee Workshop for Local Authorities at Chalimbana Local Government Training Institute in Chongwe District.

Mr Kangwa pointed out that an efficient procurement process is essential for service delivery, especially in the implementation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects.

And Mr Kangwa indicated that decentralisation has empowered councils to generate their own resources, thereby, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He has directed local authorities to build strong procurement teams with the technical skills required to manage higher volumes of contracts under the CDF framework.

Speaking at the same event, Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply President, Daniel Kabamba, stated that decentralisation has the potential to empower citizens and improve their quality of life.

He added that more job opportunities have been created as a result of the enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

 Choma Council Town Clerk, Davis Musenge, who is one of the participants, has thanked the government for the continued support towards building capacity for procurement officers.