PPADB snowed under

 

NENEWS

When the Public Procurement and Disposal Board (PPADB) took over the tendering process in all government departments, many thought that the tendering processes would sail smoothly, but challenges still remain.

All the ministerial tender committees and the District Administration Tender Committees (DATC) were all placed under the PPADB. During the DATC workshop in Francistown on Monday, it became clear that the committee members are frustrated because most of them are not recognised by the law.

A delegate from Francistown complained that as committee secretaries they have never been appraised, “Our counterparts at central government have been appraised and they have been moved to D3 while we at the DATC are still at C1. This frustrates us a lot. We want better remuneration.’’ It was also revealed that DATCs do not have budgets and are at the mercy of the district commissioners, whom they accuse of sabotaging them.

“Sometimes we have meetings that take the whole day and we are not even offered tea and when we enquire from the district commissioner we are told that there is no financial vote for us.’’ It came to the surface that DATC members do not have allowance something that they fear it could open room for corruption.

The executive director, Supplies, Idah Marumo admitted that the issue of allowance is a headache for PPADB but they will look into it. “The problem is that most of the DATC members are civil servants and the question is whether the public service act allows them to be remunerated while in the committees or not.’’

The acting deputy secretary in the ministry of local government and rural development, Modisa Segokgo informed them that 12 D3 posts for DATC secretaries have been secured. It also emerged that most of the committee members have not been gazetted, and are thus not recognised by law. Marumo expressed shock at the news saying it must not take more than five days for the process to be completed.