The Independent Procurement Review Panel (IPRP) is reported to be carrying an investigation on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry is alleged to have been engaged in procurement irregularities after Fayia Unity Garage located on Steward Street in Freetown filed a complaint against the ministry with regards the award of framework contract for spare parts supply and maintenance of the ministry’s vehicles.

Politico Newspaper reported that the Public Relations Officer of IPRP, Emmanuel Okine, stated that although the framework contract was published on Global Times and The Voice Newspapers, the appellant was dissatisfied with the manner and method in which the bidding process was conducted.

Okine said the IPRP has concluded their preliminary investigations on the matter and added that the complainant was summoned to provide information on the issue. He stated that the Garage informed them that there were certain things that were missing in the bidding document like spaciousness of the garage.

The PRO said after the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, the document will be forwarded to a panel that will invite both Fayia Unity Garage and the Foreign Affairs Ministry for more questioning.

Procurement is believed to be one of the processes that public offices in Sierra Leone at times misuse in Sierra Leone.

Public offices are bound by law to follow the country’s Public Procurement Act of 2016 and the Regulations Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020.