Districts told to establish NPC Committees before June

NPC board chairman Kenneth Thomson issued the ultimatum during the swearing in of Kainantu District Procurement Committee and Huon-Gulf District Procurement Committee at the NPC Head Office this week.

Mr Thomson said “This is to ensure procurement functions at certain threshold limits of K5 million for Provinces, K2.5 million for Districts and K1 million for Special Procurement Committees is undertaken in districts and provinces for service delivery without delays.

He said, “Under the leadership of the good CEO Mr Simon Bole, great progress has been made with most provinces and districts already establishing their procurement committees. Those that have yet to establish their committees, the board has given until the end of June this year to ensure you establish your committees.

He said NPC and the board is doing its best to delegate some of its functions down to the districts and provinces.

“As responsible government, provinces and districts cannot afford to have money for projects and services sitting in their provincial and district treasury accounts because there is no procurement committee to undertake procurement and approve projects when people are suffering for lack of basic goods and services,” Mr Thomson said.

 “Eighteen provinces and 57 districts have successfully established their respective procurement committees. Enga, Gulf, Morobe and Jiwaka have yet to establish their provincial procurement committee, including 32 other districts,” NPC Chief Executive Officer Simon Bole said.

“The primary role of district and provincial government is to provide goods and services and if they cannot be able to priorities their procurement committee establishment, then their priorities are not in the right place,” he said.

Mr Bole stressed that district and provincial authorities cannot spend public money to deliver goods and services without undertaking procurement.