Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Youth and Society (YAS) have expressed concern over what they describe as continued secrecy surrounding the spending of COVID-19 funds in the country.

According to a letter which the two Human Rights-centered institutions have addressed to the Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA), there is lack of reporting and publication of expenditure of COVID-19 resources.

Reads part of the letter: “CHRR and YAS are disappointed to note that up to now such information is not being published on the websites of PPDA or any of the procuring entities and also we are concerned about the secrecy surrounding the spending of these resources,”

CHRR Acting Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa has told YFM online that the absence of transparency in the expenditure poses a high risk of corrupt practices.

“We are particularly concerned by the lack of reporting and publication of expenditure of COVID-19 resources and this undermines the constitutional requirement that procurement be done in accordance with a system which is transparent,” singled out Kaiyatsa.

But reacting to the letter, Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA), Elias Hausi, said the authority publishes every public procurement information including that of COVID-19 expenditure.

“We instructed and undertook that after the contracts have been awarded, they will be published on our website, now we are still sticking to that,” assured Hausi.

He further assured that the needed information that YAS and CHRR are questioning will be published on PPDA Website in two weeks’ time saying the Authorities have been experiencing some challenges due to poor communication between their suppliers and the manufacturers.

Meanwhile, both YAS and CHRR have given PPDA a seven days ultimatum, from June 10, to respond.