Dowa Council designs policy on tenders

Dowa District Council has been urged to adopt a policy of ensuring that chair of finance service committee attends opening of tenders to prospective bidders to enhance transparency and accountability.

Councilor Martin Luka Phiri told radio Islam that the chair will be briefing all council members on the number of bidders, successful ones and reasons why others have not won the tenders.

“Although tenders are open to prospective bidders, the finance service committee which is responsible for managing the council’s funds has members who do not take part in the assessment of prospective bidders,” Luka said.

He dismissed claims that the policy would politicize development projects.

Meanwhile, National Initiative for Civic Education Trust (NICE), District Civic Education Officer for Dowa Vincent Mbenjere, has said people in the district will continue being poor unless their Area Development Committees (ADC’s) show commitment to be trained in the absence of allowances.

Speaking in an interview, Mbenjere said it is sad to note that most ADC’s tell NGOs that they are not trained with the intention to get allowances.

“My office has trained Mponela and Dzoole ADC’s but if another NGO goes there, they cheat it therefore asked them to say the truth,” said Mbenjere.

He added that the tendency is negatively affecting hard to reach areas as they do not receive development projects.