The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening local content and participation in Ghana’s oil and gas sector through its maiden Vendor Engagement Seminar.
The event, part of GNPC’s 40th anniversary celebrations, convened Ghanaian businesses, vendors, and suppliers under the theme: “Promoting Local Content and Local Participation through Vendor Engagement.”
The seminar focused on enhancing supplier relationships, promoting transparency, and equipping vendors with the tools to succeed in competitive procurement, while reinforcing GNPC’s drive for sustainable partnerships and efficient supply chain practices.
Opening the session, GNPC Chief Executive Officer Kwame Ntow Amoah underscored the Corporation’s inclusive growth agenda:
“Local Content is not just a regulatory requirement—it is at the core of GNPC’s strategy. We aim to grow alongside local enterprises, ensuring our resources generate real opportunities for our people, businesses, and communities.”
During a technical session, Barbara Afriyie-Owusu from GNPC’s Supply Chain and Local Content Development Department stressed the importance of compliance in tendering, describing it as “indispensable.”
“Compliance is like oxygen—you don’t always notice it, but you cannot survive long without it. Ensure your documents are complete, your submissions responsive, and credibility will follow,” she advised.
She highlighted common mistakes that disqualify bidders, including incomplete forms, missing pages, expired statutory certificates, late submissions, and wrong file formats. With GNPC’s tender process now fully digital, Afriyie-Owusu cautioned that the system automatically locks at closing time, leaving no room for excuses.
She urged contractors to review tender documents carefully, seek clarifications early, and submit bids well ahead of deadlines.
“This is a competition. Everyone wants to win, but only those who meet the requirements will succeed,” she said.
The seminar also featured presentations from the Petroleum Commission, which discussed Ghana’s local content framework, and the Public Procurement Authority, which introduced vendors to the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS).
On the sidelines, Seidu Salim Braimah, Manager of GNPC’s Supply Chain and Local Content Development, reiterated GNPC’s dedication to sourcing goods and services locally, particularly in operational areas, to ensure host communities directly benefit from the Corporation’s projects.
Opportunities for indigenous enterprises in projects such as the Voltaian Basin exploration were also highlighted.
GNPC encouraged vendors to view procurement not as a barrier, but as a pathway to building trust, creating opportunities, and strengthening Ghanaian participation in the energy sector.
source: myjoyonline
