PM: Strict management of procurement needed

PRIME Minister James Marape says there must be real time and strict management oversight in the procurement of contracts at the provincial and district levels.
He said the new National Procurement Commission, which replaced the Central Supply and Tenders Board, must create linkages.
“What is different is that every procurement will be a delegated function transferred by the Central Procurement Commission, so it is now transferred to the provincial government, and they will preside over certain limitation, I think at provincial level is still at K5 million,” Marape said.
He was speaking during a panel discussion on the National Procurement Commission Reform hosted by PNG Australia Alumni Association last week.
“Procurements happening at districts have been a mess because we do not yet have access to real time, oversight in management, real time linkage from Central government to the districts, but I hope in the next few years in this life of Parliament, we tidy up so there is a real time exchange between the central government which is the source of funds distribution into the districts and provinces,” he said.
“So the secretary of finance and those at the Central Procurement Commission are able to know actually what has been procured in the provinces or districts or expenditure, is it consistent as intended for in the national allocation of resources so, we ramp up on efficiency in the release of public fund.
“Our public agencies and our citizens right across the country need to feel the effect of these funds.”
Marape said in the last five years, the Government had been able to funnel through some K5 billion to the sub-national level.
“In the new government, I am asking the National Planning Department who also has a function of monitoring to also be more forced on upstream oversight in terms of planning and also at the back at getting up there and checking to ensure that projects are being run consistently.”