Photographers attend workshop on tendering and bidding of contracts

Takoradi April 16, GNA -The Western Regional branch of the Ghana Union of Professional Photographers (GUPP), on Monday called for transparent tendering and bidding processes in the award of public and government photographic contracts.

Mr Bartholomew Kofi Ofori, the Regional Chairman of the union made the call at a day's regional sensitisation workshop organised by members.

The workshop sponsored by Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC) was on the theme:'Improving Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Access to Public Contracts,' in Takoradi.

Mr Ofori said due to lack of transparency, members of the association have not been benefitting from contracts such as taking of photographs of clients of the National Identity Cards and National Health Insurance Scheme.

This, he said has led to low business opportunities and low net profit for members of the union.

Speaking on the theme of the workshop, Mr Vincent Annan, an accredited service provider of the BUSAC Fund, said there was the need to involve members of the GUPP in public and national photographic exercises.

He said this could lead to expansion of the businesses of members to facilitate the creation of jobs for the youth.

Mr Annan who is the Secretary of the Sekondi-Takoradi Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry said research indicated that factors that prevented professional photographers from public contracts included the complex nature of tender documents, high cost of bidding, inadequate capacities, low product range and lack of credentials.

He called for the training and support of SMEs), simplification of pre-qualification requirements, improved payment system and breaking of contracts into smaller lots to make them manageable for SMEs.

GNA