Service providers paid K22m

 MORE than K22 million has been paid to service providers by the Department of Education, Secretary Dr Michael Tapo says.

This is about K12 million more than what was originally approved, he said.

Records of technical audits for the years 2009 to 2010 and 2011 to 2012 showed that individuals, contractors and service providers had entered into alleged fraudulent deals with school principals, board members and the National Capital District education services.

However, the amounts quoted were from commitments made without proper approvals from the secretary or acting secretary between 2007 and 2012.

“Documentary evidence has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the mentioned parties did not get proper approvals from the education secretary, and the work they did was of poor standard,” Tapo said in a newspaper advertisement.

There were 96 defaulting contractors. 

Of the 96, some had lodged more than three claims for payments bringing the total in these bogus deals to K22,049,149.04.