South Sudan’s government awarded contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to a private construction company without holding an open bidding process. Sources said that other construction companies were not given a fair chance to bid for the roads projects in Juba.
In open bidding, the government chooses its supplier or service provider through a competitive process. This process aims at keeping down government costs by inviting competing proposals for the same project.
Ahead of South Sudan’s independence in 2011, the government allocated funds for construction of urban roads in Juba. These urban roads projects in Juba were completed before the start of South Sudan’s current civil war by the ABMC Thai-South Sudan Construction Company.
Sources told Radio Tamazuj that the government did not hold a competitive process for selecting the company to do the roadworks in Juba. An official in the Ministry of Roads and Bridges indicated that ABMC received preferential treatment from high-level officials.
Another senior government official with knowledge of the government’s dealings with ABMC confirmed that there was no competitive process in awarding public sector work to the company. The sources pointed to behind-the-scenes engagement by the company with government officials.
ABMC’s work in Juba included construction of the Juba-Bilpham road, Juba-Gudele road, two main roads in Munuki and other urban roads. Although this roadwork was completed only a few years ago, the government last year budgeted tens of millions more for maintenance of the same roads.
According to the Approved Budget Tables for 2013/2014 the Ministry of Roads and Bridges’ budget last year included 13 million SSP for maintenance of Juba urban roads, 8 million SSP for the Juba-Bilpham road, 14 SSP million for the Juba-Gudele road, and 13 SSP million for roadwork in Munuki.
This report is published as part of a special investigative series. Anyone wanting to comment on this report or send further information should contact Radio Tamazuj here.