Allexer Namundjembo
The Institute for Public Policy Research Research (IPPR) associate Frederico Links has said the ECN should provide clarity on the costs of the contract for ballot paper printing.
At the IPPR procurement tracker unveiling on Tuesday, Links said the cost escalation from what had been estimated to the eventual costs that will be paid is questionable.
He said ECN, in a statement issued on 18 October, denied allegations of corruption regarding the award of the tender to South African printing company Ren-Form CC.
He said the ECN said the total cost of the contract is N$6.2 million, which is double the amount that the ECN had estimated.
“In its procurement plan, the ECN had estimated that it would cost about N$2 904 000 to print the ballot papers. The difference between these two figures is N$3 355 686, which itself is almost N$500 000 more than the ECN’s initial estimated costs of the ballot printing contract,” Links said.
He added that the actual value is 116% more than what had been estimated.
He also added that adherence to timelines and the cost of a contract also has a bearing on the conduct of the contractor.
“In this instance, media reporting indicates that the contractor that was hand-picked by the ECN to print and deliver the ballot papers, Ren-Form, has struggled to meet deadlines and has been accused of inflating costs. Corruption allegations were made, but do not expect the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate how the tender was awarded,’’ Links said.
Graham Hopwood, IPPR executive director, has said the ECN electoral calendar, which was issued 10 days after the procurement plan in April, indicates that the procurement process for ballot paper printing services should have commenced on the first of August.
“The invitation for bids and bids were only issued in September, about a month and a half later than what the annual procurement plan stipulates, and over a month later than what the ECN’s own electoral calendar states,” he said.
Media Ombudsman John Nakuta has said the establishment of the Information Commissioner could’ve assisted all the stakeholders to get the necessary information about the ballot tender.
“If anyone could have access to this information, then the general public will be updated on the process. If the ECN is not giving all the necessary information, then the general public will just approach the information commissioner for this information,” Nakuta said.