|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You Are
Here: |
Local News|
Thursday, October 24, 2002 - Web posted at 8:56:26 GMT Tses councillors accused of tender irregularities TANGENI AMUPADHITHE Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Housing is investigating allegations that the Tses Village Council irregularly awarded a contract worth more than one million dollars. |
|
The allegation was among several complaints members of the settlement in the Karas Region made at a local meeting less than two weeks ago. At the meeting members of the community alleged the councillors unilaterally gave a contract to Nossob River Systems to supply pre-paid water pumps without following proper tender procedures. But the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Housing, Samuel Goagoseb, said the Village Secretary had initially awarded the contract to another company without Council's approval. The contract was then taken away from the company, Water Master Namibia, after Nossob had made an impressive presentation to the Village Council, a manager of Nossob said. Water Master wrote to complain, and the Local Government Ministry has now asked the office of the Attorney General for legal advice. Dawid Boois, a National Assembly lawmaker from Karas, attended the meeting but would not elaborate on the details of the meeting. But, Boois said community members alleged that despite a downpayment of N$400 000 Nossob had not done anything since the contract was awarded to them in April or May this year. The Chairman of Nossob River Systems, Mac Hengari, has dismissed charges that his company got the tender irregularly. "We did not obtain any tender irregularly, we were considered subsequent to the consideration given to Water Master Namibia," he said. Hengari also denied that his company had failed to deliver. He said that the contract only ends next year, and that his company had found the Tses water supply pressure too low, and that there were illegal connections that need to be rectified before the pumps are installed. "We don't just sell a system, we work closely with our partners. We don't rush to install the system simply because we want to collect money," said Hengari. Of the N$400 000 downpayment, Hengari said this would serve as a guarantee to the Dutch firm supplying equipment, which Nossob River assembles in Arandis. Village Secretary Willem Gariseb would not comment on the allegations. He said council members had not discussed the complaints raised at the meeting "This whole issue is in many in many ways becoming politicised," said Hengari. Hengari decried what he termed unfair accusations against his company in some towns though the company had worked well in several other places. Nossob Water System, which works with Dutch "technical partners", has a major contract with the Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Housing to supply 18 towns and villages with prepaid water meters. Among the several accusations by the Tses villagers was that a council member had for several years received a contract to collect sewage waste and rubbish, raising a concern about conflict of interest. The community also complained about the lack of general development at Tses. Goagoseb said the villagers complaints had a basis, but said the investigation would be able to reveal the reasons for the alleged maladministration. He also said the problems experienced at Tses did not show a pattern of how municipalities are run around the country, "but we would possibly find similar problems scattered around the country". |
|
||||
PO Box 20783 - Windhoek - 42 John Meinert Street Tel: +264 (61) 236970 - Fax: +264 (61) 233980
|
