Publication Details
Abstract
In order to achieve the goals of public procurement, several contracting bodies must coordinate and assess public spending on goods, services, and works. These bodies are the entities referred to as stakeholders. Public procurement is a crucial component of sustainable development. In affluent societies, the function of public procurement is becoming more and more prominent; but, in developing nations, like Cameroon, the role of the stakeholders of sustainable public procurement is less prominent. The function of public procurement for sustainable development in government sectors in the western context has been the subject of numerous studies. However, in developing nations like Cameroon lack doctrinal studies of this kind. Hence, this study aims to explore the various mechanisms through which the government authorities in Cameroon utilise their public procurement functions as a role to foster sustainable development regarding the economic, social, and environmental benefits. Adopting a qualitative research methodological approach, to explore the challenges and opportunities for addressing sustainability is imperatives through public procurement. The study reviewed both primary and secondary sources of information regarding public procurement and sustainability available through the 2018 decree, which is the designated regulation for public procurement in Cameroon This study confirmed some of the challenges that have been seen through the study. In addition, the study found contextual factors such as lack of professional qualification skills, nepotism, poor e-procurement system, exorbitant powers exercise by project owners, inconsistences with procedures for direct award and absence of the efficient and effective monitoring execution mechanisms that add to the challenges of achieving sustainable public procurement in Cameroon. This study also has practical recommendations for the government through the application of the proposed theoretical framework to achieve sustainability in public procurement. In a bid to address these challenges, the study strongly recommends among other things, the enactment of a Law with a constitutional value and not a decree to regulate public procurement. Also, the Law should professionalised the stakeholders of public procurement. Again, the use of direct award of public procurement should be strictly examine and more importantly, the monitoring execution performance should be given to a particular committee or institution and open to the general public to give tangible information of execution of public procurement. This study is important and will also help the government meets the sustainable development goals, and the public in that it will inform them of the necessity of public procurement as a tool to achieve our development we all want.