NACA declines to answer queries on extra payments

The organisation rented vehicles for the three-month Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS III) conducted last year from July to October.  The final report of the survey was released last week.

On October 22, 2009 the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board approved Tender No: PR 2/11/1/10-1 (P461 865.55) for payment of excess mileage and incidental charges incurred during the survey. Despite numerous attempts, NACA has refused to answer questions on the payment. The organisation has failed to answer inquiries from Mmegi how the figure was determined; what the original charge was; how many cars were rented; whether some officers used the vehicles for personal chores as alleged by some of the drivers. One of the NACA, officers who preferred anonymity, said he smells a rat in the amount paid saying it is possible somebody has cooked up the figures.