GUMINE has become the second District in Simbu Province to successfully establish its District Procurement Committee (DPC) following the swearing of its committee members in Port Moresby on Thursday, May 06.
The five committee members as required under Section 77 of the National Procurement Act (NPA) include CEO of Gumine DDA Mr Daing Kil as the chairman, district finance manager Mary Banda, law and order representative Mr Jacob Kaman, community representative Mr Edward Kawale and women’s representative Ms Augustina Gari.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Procurement Commission (NPC) Mr Simon Bole said Gumine is the second district in Simbu to successfully establish its committee after Sinesine Yongomugl District.
Mr Bole said the NPC Board has already set a deadline by June 30 this year for all the 89 districts and 22 provinces to have their respective district and provincial procurement committee established.
“This committee is very important because it is part of the Government’s focus of decentralizing powers from Waigani down to the districts and provinces for effective and efficient delivery of goods, works and services,” Mr Bole said.
He said Gumine DDA which use to do procurement and approve projects up to the limit of K500, 000 can now do procurement for up to K2.5 million with the committee.
“As you can appreciate, K2.5 million is a big jump from K500, 000 limit.
“That is the powers NPC Board is delegating down to the district,” Mr Bole said.
He urged them to perform their jobs with honesty, integrity and accountability to serve the people of Gumine.
“Every procurement you undertake must be done in compliance with the Procurement Act.
“If you step out of line, the NPC board has the powers to dissolve your board and withdrew the powers given to you now.
“So use the powers given to you with care and responsibility to service our people of Gumine,” Mr Bole said.
CEO of Gumine DDA Mr Daing Kil thanked NPC and expressed great satisfaction for the quick response in establishing the committee and delegating such powers to the district.
“Our District has written to NPC just last week requesting for our committee establishment and for NPC to have it all arranged in less than two weeks is highly commendable,” Mr Kil said.
He said with such powers given to procure up to K2.5 million from the previous K500,000 limit, it will greatly assist them in delivering goods and services.
Meanwhile, Mr Bole urged other districts and provinces that have yet to establish their respective committees to do so before the June 30 deadline.