The Attorney General has decried the rate at which public institutions continue to subject the Government to court battles over breach of contracts. He implored Chief Budget Officers to reverse the trend by ensuring that their agencies sign contracts that promote government’s interests, and go on to meet their contractual obligations to avoid any costly ligation. Such administrative loopholes constitute an opening through which taxpayers’ money continues to be lost.More often than not, it’s caused by sheer negligence and incompetence on the part of technical personnel as opposed to intent to cause financial losses to government. Some executives sign contracts without carrying out necessary verification or seeking legal advice. Either way it’s unacceptable and those responsible ought to be held accountable for their mistakes.The Government should prohibit its institutions from committing to contractual obligations without legal consultation and approval. In the event that there was a deliberate intention to cause losses to government, the culprits should not only be dismissed but also sued.Today, the tendering procedures within government institutions are largely respected, something that has promoted transparency and curbed corruption. The same vigilance needs to be applied when it comes to issuing contracts.
