Administrator appointed to progress contracts

By KELVIN JOE
CHIMBU’S Kerowagi Development Authority will start to procure and award contracts to local companies and service providers after the National Procurement Commission (NPC) accepted administrator Philip Bomal as a new district procurement committee member on Wednesday.
Bomal said delayed service delivery and development projects in Kerowagi over the past six months were due to the suspension of former administrators.
“The district development authority (DDA) was struggling to deliver services to the people and award contracts to district-based contractors and companies following the suspension and termination of our two former administrators,” he said.
“We will start to endorse and award contracts to contractors and service providers to ensure services are delivered effectively throughout the district after NPC confirmed me as a district procurement committee member last week.”
NPC acting chief executive officer Joe Sapa congratulated Bomal, and said the powers to procure district-based projects was bestowed on him to start delivering service in the districts.
Sapa said the establishment of the district procumbent committee was important.
“At NPC, we believe in capacity development as you must partner, communicate effectively and provide constant reports to us,” he said.
“We will assist and monitor you to ensure public funds are utilised well at the district level.”
Meanwhile, Bomal said the district would launch its five-year development plan soon following the certification of its development plan 2023-2027 by the National Planning and Monitoring Department recently.
“We will launch the district development plan within the next few months,” Bomal told The National.
He said the district would use this development plan to implement impact projects to benefit the people.
“The DDA will set a time to launch the plan, including important development projects,” Bomal said.