World Bank pushes Namibia for autonomous procurement agency
The World Bank has called for Namibia to establish an autonomous public procurement agency, moving the function from the Ministry of Finance to enhance its strategic role. This recommendation follows the launch of the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), which evaluates the effectiveness of government spending through public offices, ministries, agencies, and public entities.
The proposed agency would strengthen oversight of public procurement, which accounts for 25% of Namibia’s gross domestic product, and drive sustainable development, value for money, and improved public services, according to World Bank country representative Mariama Cire Sylla.
“Public procurement can help to promote sustainable development and can help to achieve sustainable environmental and social objectives of the country. Transforming public procurement from a clerical function to a strategic function with emphasis on gaining value for money, will make a positive impact on public service delivery, which means the citizens will be able to access better health services, education, transport, energy, all kinds of public services, and public service delivery,” Sylla said.
The establishment of an agency would further assist the government in ensuring public procurement spending was targeted to advantage former disadvantaged groups, as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Sylla explained.
“Strategic procurement also puts a lot of emphasis on environmental and social objectives. Supporting SMEs, supporting women-led companies, supporting other disadvantaged groups will help the development of these new groups,” she said.
The third element Sylla pointed out for the need to establish a strategic unit was that it would require the adoption of good corporate governance standards as it pertained to public procurement spending.
“The third one is public procurement which can really help build trust among the citizens towards the government. When it comes to use of public money, which involves large sums of money, there is always the risk of fraud and corruption, fraudulent and corrupted behaviour.
"Having a public procurement system which promotes transparency, efficiency, accountability, will help to build trust among all the stakeholders,” Sylla said.
The proposed agency would strengthen oversight of public procurement, which accounts for 25% of Namibia’s gross domestic product, and drive sustainable development, value for money, and improved public services, according to World Bank country representative Mariama Cire Sylla.
“Public procurement can help to promote sustainable development and can help to achieve sustainable environmental and social objectives of the country. Transforming public procurement from a clerical function to a strategic function with emphasis on gaining value for money, will make a positive impact on public service delivery, which means the citizens will be able to access better health services, education, transport, energy, all kinds of public services, and public service delivery,” Sylla said.
The establishment of an agency would further assist the government in ensuring public procurement spending was targeted to advantage former disadvantaged groups, as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Sylla explained.
“Strategic procurement also puts a lot of emphasis on environmental and social objectives. Supporting SMEs, supporting women-led companies, supporting other disadvantaged groups will help the development of these new groups,” she said.
The third element Sylla pointed out for the need to establish a strategic unit was that it would require the adoption of good corporate governance standards as it pertained to public procurement spending.
“The third one is public procurement which can really help build trust among the citizens towards the government. When it comes to use of public money, which involves large sums of money, there is always the risk of fraud and corruption, fraudulent and corrupted behaviour.
"Having a public procurement system which promotes transparency, efficiency, accountability, will help to build trust among all the stakeholders,” Sylla said.
