The Former Minister of Education Science and Technology yesterday admitted at the Commission of Enquiry that, there were contractors that submitted invalid and fake and expired performance bonds to get SABABU funded contracts from Service Providers which lead to the misuse of both government and donor funds amounting to billions of Leones.
He told the Commission that blunders were made by Service providers in awarding contracts to contractors who had submitted bonds that were in actual fact fake, as a result some of the contracts were terminated by service providers for failing to meet the terms and conditions of the contract agreement.
Dr. Wurie further told the commission about the roles and responsibilities of service providers in liaison with communities and inspectors in the selection of schools to be designated as full grant school that benefits from civil works, provision of furniture, text books and formation of school management committees.
He noted that service providers were charged with the responsibility to forward project proposals to the Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) for the intervention of the Ministry of Education which will be followed by advertisement of contracts.
He added that records of performance in education delivery and financial management skills to supervise and monitor activities to be demonstrated and that it must be registered with SLANGO or the Development Ministry before a contract is awarded by service providers with the approval of the Project Steering Committee and ratified by the donor agency and guided by KPMG on financial procedures.
Dr. Wurie was cross examined by the lead Counsel of the Commission the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Serry Kamal who tendered exhibits to the commission that entails classification of projects, terminated contracts and correspondences sent to the Project Director which was read to the Commission by Dr. Wurie.
He also told the commission that service providers choose contractors, a list of 91 service providers were tendered to the commission, but Dr. Wurie said some of the names of service providers were repeated on the list and that there was no official designated role of the steering committee on the day to day functions of service providers.
Serray Kamal told the Commission that service providers were entrusted with a lot of money and they were virtually working on their own, Dr Wurie replied by saying “I am not familiar with project procedures” though the issue was brought to his knowledge.
He also told the commission that the steering committee met on varied dates some times twice a month, but since 2003 they met occasionally to discuss defaulter’s difficulties that are highlighted and address them accordingly.
Dr. Wurie said “I could not remember the reasons for termination of some contracts” he arguably told the commission, adding that “we informed the Finance Ministry and the Bank Governor to help the Education Ministry with bonds that were difficult to encash and recovery of funds started with the involvement of the Financial Secretary.
List of permanent secretaries and their dates of service at the Ministry of Education was read to the commission and further investigations in to misappropriation of donor and government funds will continue today at the Commission of enquiry.