Members of Parliament on Tuesday called for an investigation into the circumstances through which government projects worth hundreds of billions of francs have stalled. The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) recommendation to the Ministry of Justice is captured in its assessment of the Auditor General’s 2017/2018 report. According to the AG’s report, at least 21 projects worth Rwf35.7 billion have stalled for a period ranging from two to ten years, pointing to gross mismanagement of public funds. The report further notes that 86 contracts valued at more than Rwf143.2 billion have been reported as either delayed or abandoned. The contracts in question include the tender offered by Workforce Development Authority (WDA) worth over Rwf551 million to purchase equipment for the proposed Hospitality Management Institute (HMI). Even as the contractor was paid, the equipment was not delivered. MP Euthalie Nyirabega said that stalled or delayed projects would have had an impact on the welfare of citizens. “Anything that derails, delays [public projects] should be treated as a new crime against the country’s economy and should be punishable by the law,” she said. MP Ignatienne Nyirarukundo called for the reprimand of the officials involved. Another tender in question is the Rwf942 million irrigation scheme that was reportedly mismanaged by Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB). PAC also says that works on the project started even before the contract between RAB and the contractor was signed. According to PAC, RAB also offered another tender worth over Rwf4.2 billion, which was more than double the initial cost of the tender that was estimated at Rwf1.96 billion. Rwanda Education Board (REB) is also being accused of malpractices in a Rwf721 million tender for constructing nursery schools in the districts of Rutsiro, Gisagara, Nyaruguru and Gatsibo. Another tender of Rwf3.1 billion to buy electrical equipment for use at Nyabarongo, Mukungwa and Ntaruka hydropower projects is said to have been given to an unqualified bidder. MP John Rukurwabyoma said there is a need for a more effective system to close leakages of public funds. “There is no point in letting off someone who has mismanaged up to a billion of public funds. Anyone who has broken the law should be punished regardless of their rank or official position,” he observed. Another Rwf3.3 billion contract to automate the operations of Umurenge Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) was never executed. The contract was awarded to FINTECH International Ltd by Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA). MP Christine Mukabunane said that when the (Auditor General’s) reports repeatedly show mistakes that are not corrected, that would be like doing inconsequential work, urging legal action against identified malpractices. “All the resolutions should be taken to the Ministry of Justice to follow up and handle the issues,” she emphasised. The 2017/2018 Auditor General’s report covered 173 entities and projects audited with total government expenditure amounting to over Rwf2 trillion, which represents 86.6 per cent of the total national budget. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
