GOVERNMENT has shortlisted 18 people for possible appointment to the new Central Procurement Board of Namibia which replaces the corruption-tainted Tender Board of Namibia as the primary arbiter in all government contracting as from 1 April.
The creation of the new procurement body is set to break the hold over public procurement of a cabal of permanent secretaries that was exercised through the Tender Board over the years.
Finance minister Calle Schlettwein told yesterday that he will soon announce names of those who will serve on the board, including that of the chairperson, in the National Assembly.
Although Schlettwein refused to comment on the final list, he confirmed its existence.
has seen a list approved by Cabinet that shows former Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund CEO Jerry Muadinohamba, whose tenure as Nam-port board chairperson ended last year, has been shorlisted.
Sources claim that Muadinohamba is favoured to chair the new procurement board, while others have disputed this.
Director of the Bank of Namibia’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Leonie Dunn, is also shortlisted.
Dunn’s FIC was instrumental in exposing, amongst others, the alleged culprits in the N$3,5 billion money laundering, tax evasion and fraud case currently before the courts.
Also on the list are Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) CEO Hilya Nghiwete and NSFAF company secretary Fillemon Wise Immanuel; Mansueta-Maria Nakale, who chaired the NamPower board until December last year; deputy chairperson of the outgoing Tender Board Patrick Swartz; former Social Security Commission (SSC) CEO Kenandei Tjivikua; Ono-Robby Nangolo, a legal adviser at the soon to be phased out Tender Board (Nangolo was key in crafting the Procurement Act with local and international experts); Knox Otto Imbuwa, deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of education; Hendricus Beukes, finance director in the ministry of health; Hans Rainer Trede of Development Consultants for Southern Africa; Epafras Pendapala Shilongo; Amon Ngavetene; Lischen Ramakutla; Hilya Nandago; Maria Iyambo; Jacobus van der Merwe; and Hendrik Loftie-Eaton.
Schlettwein will also announce the appointment of a five member review panel which will fall under the finance ministry.
The review panel, will among others, review decisions of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia, with powers to disqualify and ban bidders, as well as undertaking any other function referred to it by the finance minister.
The list of proposed review panel members seen by The Namibian again has Ono-Robby Nangolo, Kenandei Tjivikua, Fillemon Wise Immanuel, Amon Ngavetene and Lischen Ramakutla on it.
The Central Procurement Board comes into force through the Public Procurement Act of 2015. The new procurement dispensation, according to government, is to curb and combat inefficiencies, corruption, cronyism and to improve and professionalise state sector contracting practices.
The procurement board will conduct bidding processes on behalf of all public entities procuring goods and services, as well as disposing assets that exceed prescribed thresholds. It will also monitor the implementation of tenders it awards.
Members of the board are required to “act with fidelity, honesty, integrity and in the best interests of the board and the procurement system”, according to the act. The new board will consist of nine members who have “knowledge and experience relevant to the functions of the board”.
Out of the nine, not more than five may be of the same sex. The law states that the board is supposed to be appointed by the finance minister through an “open, fair and transparent prescibed process of invitation, interview and recommendations”. The board will serve for three years, except for the chairperson and deputy chairperson, who have five years each. The new procurement dispensation will also limit the role of parastatal boards in procurement. The finance ministry has instructed parastatals to form two committees – evaluation and management committees. The names are supposed to be forwarded to the ministry by end of this month.
Schlettwein admitted yesterday that some parastatals have not submitted names as requested. “We must make sure that we don’t slip up at the first step,” he said.
An expert from India will return to assist with the implementation.
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