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. 

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