By Aisha Tamba
The director of compliance at the Gambia Public Procurement Authority has yesterday told the local government commission of enquiry that Kanifing Municipal Council is more compliant to the procurement Act and regulation than most councils.
Samba Tambura disclosed that during their findings of the council’s procurement transactions, KMC was found to be 72% compliant with the regulations and Act.
Problems discovered
However, Mr Tambura raised issues of branding as a procurement challenge at the KMC.
He said branding which means making reference to a particular brand is not accepted in procurement because procurement encourages a level playing ground while the use of branding may target only one brand.
He observed that KMC had engaged brand names in their procurement process. “In one of the transactions, a D45,850 contract awarded to BS Enterprise, KMC used brand names in their solicitation documents (HP Laptop computer) and there was no evidence to show that the item supplied was inspected at the time of delivery due to the absence of an Inspection Committee.
“There was no delivery receipt in the file too,” he added.
In another transaction, he said KMC used brand names in a contract they awarded to Arafat Trading amounting to D123,050.
Tambura said during their review of the procurements of KMC, they observed the involvement of non -members of the procurement unit – that is people from the Environment and Sanitation Units in conducting procurements.
On the implications, he said the procurement process could be compromised and there is potential for a conflict of interest. He recommended that KMC should ensure that all procurements are done by members of the procurement unit.
