Maravi

Probe individuals awarding govt contracts, ZNTB advises media

Probe individuals awarding govt contracts, ZNTB advises media
By Mutale Kapekele and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Saturday October 11, 2008 [04:00]

ZAMBIA National Tender Board (ZNTB) has advised the media to take an interest in investigating individuals who award government contracts. And Southern Province Contractors Association (SPCA) chairperson Jacob Mangunje has charged that the process of awarding contracts in the province was not transparent.

During a public discussion forum of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Livingstone on Thursday, ZNTB director for purchasing, goods and services Mannas Simwanza said the media should also take an interest in learning how tenders were awarded while playing a leading role in monitoring tender procedures.

“The media only want s to get involved when there is a problem,” Simwanza said.
He said it was worrying that tender evaluation committees invited the ACC and the Office of the President (OP) to monitor the process, leaving out the media and civil society.

“It is not correct for the ACC and OP officers to sit on the evaluation committees,” Simwanza charged. “How will those people carry out investigations should there be a problem when they are also part of the process? It would be better if observers from the press and civil society were included in the process.”

And Mangunje said the process of awarding contracts in Southern Province was not transparent as Lusaka-based contractors were getting all the contracts.

“It is surprising that contractors in the province hardly get any contracts because all of them go to the people in Lusaka who, in many cases don't even come for site visits,” Mangunje said.

“On top of all that, the people in the evaluation committee also have private companies and how do we know if they don't award contracts to themselves?”

But provincial tender committee chairperson Clement Mukuka said contracts were not restricted to local contractors alone but anyone who applied and met the conditions.

Labels: SOUTHERN PROVINCE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, ZNTB

posted by MrK @ 3:59 AM