By CHATULA KANGALI –
THE Zambia Public Procurement (ZPPA) has so far captured more than 10,000 suppliers on the Electronic Government Procurement (E-GP) system.
The E-GP was introduced in the country last year, with the aim of reducing costs, save time and promote transparency in public procurement.
ZPPA Director Human Resource ad Administration Idah Chella said 10,105 suppliers were of June 30 this year registered on the E-GP system.
Ms Chella said that registered suppliers were now able to make online payments for registration through Zanaco in all parts of the country.
“The E- GP system has proven to be a success; it has helped suppliers of goods and services to save time and reduce on cost, so far, 10,105 suppliers and contractors are using the system,” she said.
She was speaking at the media briefing at the on going Zambia Inter national Trade Fair (ZITF) under the theme ‘Innovation for Industrialisation.
Ms Chella said ZPPA was currently piloting the E-GP system in 11 public institutions and that the full implementation of the project would be done   by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the review of the new   public procurement Act has reached an advanced stage and   will soon be finalised.
Ms Chella said that  the  reviewed Act would meet  the  current registration  requirement, strengthen the  existing regulation and enforcement  as  well  as  promote  transparency  in the sector.
She said the public procurement Act Number 12 of 2008 was old and not in line with current trends in the procurement sector.
She said the  current laws in the public procurement act were derived from the law on the procurement of 1994 which has since been revised.