Juba, South Sudan – 31st March 2026—During an interview with a reporter who visited him in his office, the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDAA) underscored the urgent need for full compliance with Ministerial Circular No. 05/2026 and Ministerial Circular No. 06/2026, describing them as critical measures to strengthen accountability, discipline, and professionalism in public procurement.

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDAA) has called on all Accounting Officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure immediate and full compliance with Ministerial Circular No. 05/2026 on Coordination of Recruitment, Staffing, and Deployment of Procurement Officers and Ministerial Circular No. 06/2026 on the Cancellation of Previous Circulars on Issuance of Letters of No Objection for Confirmation of Budget and Procurement Compliance, recently issued by the Hon. Minister of Finance and Planning.

Speaking during the interview, the Executive Director described Circular No. 05/2026 and Circular No. 06/2026 as a decisive reform package aimed at strengthening procurement governance, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring strict adherence to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act, 2018 and the Public Financial Management and Accountability Act, 2011.

He explained that Circular No. 06/2026 introduces a fundamental shift in procurement practice by abolishing the requirement for Letters of No Objection, thereby placing full responsibility on Accounting Officers to confirm funding availability before initiating procurement. This reform, he noted, eliminates procedural duplication and ensures that procurement is conducted strictly within the law. He emphasized that any procurement undertaken without confirmed funding is legally null and void.

The Executive Director further noted that Circular No. 06/2026 strengthens fiscal discipline by ensuring procurement activities are aligned with approved budgets and procurement plans, while also reinforcing transparency through mandatory use of registered providers and the publication of procurement plans, tender opportunities, and contract awards in the PPDAA Tender Portal.

Turning to Circular No. 05/2026, he highlighted its importance in professionalizing procurement across government institutions. He explained that the Circular establishes a coordinated framework under which PPDAA will oversee the deployment, redeployment, and professional standards of procurement officers in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service and Human Resource Development. He stressed that procurement functions must be carried out only by qualified and duly authorized personnel and that independent recruitment outside this framework is not permitted.

The Executive Director issued a clear call to all Accounting Officers to act decisively in implementing both Circular No. 05/2026 and Circular No. 06/2026, emphasizing that the directives are binding and require immediate action. He urged institutions to align their procurement practices, strengthen internal controls, ensure compliance with funding requirements, and regularize procurement staffing arrangements in accordance with the Circulars.

He further confirmed that PPDAA will actively monitor compliance with Circular No. 05/2026 and Circular No. 06/2026 across all Procuring Entities and will undertake follow-up actions to ensure effective implementation. Accounting Officers, he stressed, will be held personally accountable for any failure to comply with the requirements set out in the Circulars and the applicable legal framework.

The issuance of Ministerial Circular No. 05/2026 and Ministerial Circular No. 06/2026 marks a significant milestone in advancing public procurement reforms in South Sudan, reinforcing a system built on discipline, transparency, and accountability. The circular can be downloaded at: https://ppdaa.gov.ss/forms/ministerial-circular-no-06-2026-cancellation-previous-circulars-issuance-letters-no-objection