IPPR
Launch of Public Procurement Tracker

The Procurement Tracker is an initiative of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), with funding support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), to monitor and track developments and issues within the Namibian public procurement sphere and publishes a quarterly review of such public procurement developments and issues. The tracker was launched by Mr Frederico Links (IPPR Research Associate) & Mr Graham Hopwood (IPPR Country Director). 

In light of recent developments in the procurement sector, the need for a civil society think tank initiative to monitor and track developments became quite evident. The inauguration of the board in April 2017 should have been a turning point in public procurement governance but there has been little to no tangible improvements with their work. 

The Procurement Act 15 of 2015 promotes integrity, accountability, transparency, competitive supply, effectiveness, efficiency, fair dealing, responsiveness, informed decisions making, consistency, legality and integration in the procurement of assets, in order to meet the requirements that Article 9 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) sets on a functional Procurement System. But instead, as highlighted by Mr Frederico Links, the CPBN showed a disappointing performance so far during its first official year. 

The tracker provides an overview of the public procurement sector, the tender Bulletin found that of 1 491 tender issues at all three branches of government, 87 were cancelled just because the new regulations weren’t complied. The initiators of the Procurement Tracker started the event to point out the major concerning issues, which are the lack of transparency, the lack of capacity and the use of exemptions. 

A comment was made on how difficult to find the CPBN’s Website by a simple Google research to get accurate information about past procurements and thus enhance transparency. A member of the CPBN that took part of the event, announced that the Board is still working on that website and gave the website’s address to the participants at the event. The website can be found under http://www.cpb.org.na/. 

Towards the end of the event there was still time for some questions and concerns of the participants, that included locals, a reporters of the NBC, so as a member of the ministry of Finance. A discussion took place weather the private sector can be held accountable for stepping up against these current developments towards corruption and incapacity, so as the need of professionals and experts in the CPBN in various fields to operate efficiently. The participants made a big contribution to the event and inspired the organizers that the next editions will be focused not just at the failures of the system but also at the suggestions of improvement. At the next events that are taking place during the next months especially the issue of the use of exemptions will be explained more detailed. It seems as if this initiation finds great approval and arouses interest in the civil society.