Gov’t urged to close in on ‘ghost companies’
OPPOSITION Leader, Jeremiah Manele has urged the Government to carry out an audit in each of the government ministries.
This is following claims that local ‘ghost companies’ have reportedly embezzled millions of dollars from Government funds over the years.
Mr Manele said the government must begin a new approach so that all Government tenders must go through the ministry tender board and central tender board.
Ghost companies over the years have been acting as ‘middlemen’ that charged twice the amount of supplies or services compared to genuine service providers.
These companies are established by middlemen who often made biddings to government ministries, and when they win a bid, they then subcontract services to genuine companies at a much more inflated cost.
Mr Manele said the Government should only identify certain local contractors and service providers to provide much needed services to the Government to avoid middlemen.
“These service providers must provide business certification, financial statements, business history and so forth to meet required recommendations and prove that they are genuine,” he said.
The opposition leader added that he is not against local businesses but wanted to genuine service providers given jobs to do.
“We must encourage genuine, true and honest hardworking Solomon Islanders that are keen to help develop our country and our economy and on that note, I must acknowledge our hardworking local businessmen and women who have helped shaped this country’s economy over the years.”
By EDDIE OSIFELO
