BLACKLISTING COMPANIES BY WORLD BANK WAS LONG OVERDUE

If donors to Uganda can stop paying lip services when they give money to the Government more so where Ugandans have to pay in the future it will be great as they are best placed to evaluate and find whether it is value for money after the execution of the works. It is believed that a number of developments around the country are a result of funds which are diverted and individuals instead of the Uganda public end beneficiaries. William Kituuka Kiwanuka -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 UGANDAN COMPANIES/INDIVIDUALS BLACKLISTED BY WORLD BANK The World Bank has blacklisted 12 companies and Ugandan individuals from having the World Bank financed contract for a period of between two years to six years. Among the banned companies are Eastern Builders and Engineers, Babcon Uganda, Dhema Agencies, Vital Supplies and Logistics, Nexus Uganda and Ayemo Investments, among others. Among the individuals banned from receiving the financed contract are Alex Opua, managing director of Ayemo Investments, Allan Makabayi, John B. Katende, Rogers Segawa and Gurdyal Singh who was banned for 3years. The reason for banning the individuals and firms/companies is because of getting involved in fraudulent practices in connection with the procurement of the World Bank financed contract. According to the New Vision, the managing director of Ayemo Investments, Alex Opua allegedly submitted false reports and two false bank guarantee documents to the World Bank which led to its being blacklisted. The same company has been under suspension by Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA)for causing financial loss to the government after breaching the ethical code of conduct by submitting forged payment and performance guarantee of sh207m and sh103m and was paid sh245m in return. Dhema Agencies on the other hand submitted 2 false bid bonds for a contract under the Uganda Private Sector Competitiveness project and was also suspended by PPDA. The firms are among the 83 companies and individuals which were blacklisted worldwide for breaking the World Bank procurement guidelines.