Mtegha supplying fuel to NRWB
Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) Chief Executive Officer Titus Mtegha has taken advantage of the fuel scarcity in the country to become a fuel supplier to the government owned company which he runs.
Mtegha refused to comment on the issue. He claimed he is not involved in procurement of goods and services for NRWB.
The development means Mtegha has broken NRWB procurement rules and guidelines as his Karonga BP Filling Station has no tender with the Board, sources disclosed to Nyasa Times.
But the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has complained that many government and quasi-government institutions in Malawi are not complying with provisions of section 25d of the Corrupt Practices Act by failing to disclose conflicts of interest or those involved in the malpractice.
Mtegha, who runs Karonga BP Filling Station, uses NRWB vehicles to ferry the fuel from Karonga to Mzuzu and demands his payments pronto despite the fact that NRWB is financially struggling, source said.
NRWB made a loss of K 6.5 million in 1998 and K10.6 million in 1999, but realised a net profit of K7.2 million in 2000 but continued to post heavy losses to date. It has recently posted a net loss of K90 million according to the 2011 Malawi Economic Report.
Nyasa Times sources said employees at NRWB fear to question his apparent conflict of interest and infringement of the board’s policy on corrupting because they fear losing their jobs.
NRWB has a staff Code of Ethical Conduct and Guidelines for management of gifts, entertainment and hospitality.
Among others things these non binding guidelines are intended to guide employees to make judgments that can stand the scrutiny of various stakeholders with regard to management of gifts, entertainment and hospitality and conflicts of interest.
