The Open Contracting multi-stakeholder Group (OC-MSG) has called for transparency and policy directions in the procurement of urgently needed Covid-19 supplies.
The Chairperson of the organization Leon Matanda said this during a press briefing conducted on Thursday in Lilongwe.
Matanda said when the coronavirus is providing reports on the pandemic, it should only announce statistics on new infections or loss of lives but should also release detailed information in respect of the public procurement at institutional, district, regional and national level.
“The organization is looking forward to National disclosure regarding volume of donations in cash and kind of Malawi from within and outside the country and how such had been expended consistent with the National response to Covid-19,” said Matanda.
He added that government should adopt a Human Rights Based Approach to the specific humanitarian response in order to ensure that persons or group of persons with greater vulnerability such as children, persons with disability and the elderly are being supported.
He also faulted the lack of representation, in the high level national response structure, of some groups including leadership of relevant committees of parliament, media, faith based organizations.
Matanda said the country cannot afford to sustain a fight against the virus if efforts are disjointed.
Open Contracting Multi-Stakeholder Group (OC-MSG) is a group of stakeholders in open Contracting founded in 2018.
The organization seeks to improve disclosure of public contracting information, accountability and ultimate value for money from public contracting.
