12 Dec 2019

The Board of the Botswana Accountancy Oversight Authority (BAOA) approved the Procurement Manual in December 2018.

This was said by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Dr Thapelo Matsheka in Parliament who also explained that the manual designated the duties and functions of procurement of goods and services to the Accounts Officer (Finance).

He added that the decision to confine the duties was driven by the small size of the BAOA office, coupled with the marginal level of procurement activities.

Thus, the Accounts Officer is responsible for all procurement procedures that ensure compliance with this manual.

Minister Matsheka also said the Accounts officer/ Procurement Officer reported to the Finance Manager who oversees all procurements within the organization. He said having reviewed the delegated levels, he was satisfied that adequate controls were in place, hence, no need for any change of the arrangements for reasons already alluded to.

He further said state enterprises were required to align their procurement processes with the PPAD Act using request for quotations, open tender, selective tendering, direct appointment and expression of interest as the prescribed methods. 

Minister Matsheka said he was satisfied that there were robust controls in place to ensure that procurement at BAOA was in accordance with the requirements of the manual and by extension, the PPAD Act.

Therefore, he said this leaves no room or the potential to compromise corporate governance as well as mismanagement of public funds.

The Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South Mr Christian Greef had asked the Minister if he was aware that the BAOA had since inception never had a procurement officer, despite it being touted the overseers of corporate governance.

He wanted to know that if it was the case, whether this was not an anomaly given the institution’s potential to lead the very Public Interest Entities (PIE) that it was supposed to oversee thereby, questioning BAOA’s integrity. ends