MDAs keep project details under wraps
Three years after its introduction, the bulk of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are yet to upload information on the Information Platform for Public Infrastructure (IPPI) as required by law.
Information confirmed by the Construction Transparency Initiative (CoST) and National Industry Construction Council (NCIC) show that 577 projects are uploaded, from 37 out of the expected 92 MDAs in the country.
This is despite President Lazarus Chakwera warning MDAs against defying the IPPI.
The initiative was developed by CoST Malawi with the aim of putting into effect the formal disclosure requirements (FDR) as provided for under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Act 2017 Section 57(3).
The Act states that a procuring entity seeking works or consultancy services in the construction industry shall disclose all material project information and shall comply with the principles of transparency and accountability at all stages of the project life cycle inclusive of pre-contract and post-contract process as prescribed in the regulations.
Speaking during a review of the portal in Mzuzu yesterday, CoSt chairperson Joe Ching’ani said while strides have been made, a lot needs to be done.
He said: “At the onset of the project, we had 40 projects on the portal but we have 577 and the figure keeps rising, and hope that by the end of this year, we should be able to reach 1000.
“The 577 which we are touting have come from just about 37 MDAs, yet we have got many out there. The others who have not uploaded, have not they been trained?
“Aren’t they implementing construction projects? Are they not interested or perhaps they have skeletons not ready for disclosure? As far as we are concerned, we have done our part. The portal is part of the initiative to enable the MDAs to comply with the PPDA Act but also the ATI Act. So those responsible for the laws have to apply the law and punish culprits”
Ching’ani said non-compliance was a direct defiance to a presidential directive, and that the MDAs have to pronounce themselves on the matter.
NCIC chief executive officer Engineer Gerald Khonje said they have written some MDAs on the matter.
The IPPI Malawi was developed to increase citizen engagement in the public construction sector and to promote transparency and accountability of public resources.
It was developed by the NCIC, CoST, the infrastructure transparency initiative, under a consortium of Partnership for Transparency Fund with funding from the European Union.
