By Joseph Muhozi, Dar es Salaam

The Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, has directed the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), to be at the forefront in ensuring success of Government’s efforts towards minimization of cost in public procurement, TPJ can report.

Dr. Nchemba gave the directive recently during his speech at the farewell party for the outgoing Chairman of PPRA Board of Directors, Amb. Dr. Matern Lumbanga, which was held in Dar es Salaam.

The minister revisited the speech he gave when tabling the Government Budget for Financial Year 2022/2023, saying the Government was keen to minimize cost in expenditure, especially procurement of cars, oil, spare parts and car maintenance through strategic sourcing.

He told the audience, including the new PPRA chairperson and members of the Board, management and staff, and representatives from the ministry: “[We should] let go of the old system of focusing on a bidder with the lowest price while the same can still be a high price comparing to the market price.”

With references to the recent appointments of the Chairperson of the PPRA Board, Dr. Leonada Raphael Mwagike and the Chief Executive Offer, Mr. Eliakim C. Maswi, Dr. Nchemba urged PPRA and other stakeholders to help the Government’s efforts by setting prices through the Tanzania National e-Procurement System (TANePS).

“We expect PPRA to assist in achieving this goal, so that bidders will compete without exceeding set prices,” he said and expressed bewilderment at how entities in one region could procure goods and services of the same type but at different prices.

Having noted the role of the Authority in regulating public procurement, the minister went on to praise the outgoing Chairman of the PPRA Board of Directors, Ambassador Lumbanga, for his integrity and exemplary service and how he had been a good role model of a public servant “and a champion of different major changes in our country, being economic, social, political and in the civil service system over many decades.”

Speaking earlier, Amb. Lumbanga thanked the Government for its trust and for allowing him to serve for longest time in the history of PPRA, as its Board Chairman.