Gov't pours P379m into Lobatse Leather Park
Monday, August 08, 2022 | 980 Views |
Lobatse Leather Park
The leather park has been in the pipeline since 2014 with little progress, a fact that has frustrated Lobatse authorities and residents. In 2020, the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) had said it completed the evaluation of the project and was awaiting its adjudication.
By then, LEA had anticipated the project to kickstart in December that year. The same year, SEZA was reported to have suggested that the leather park business case study be reviewed to ensure that the enterprise would be profitable.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...