Rédaction Africa Links 24 with ANGONOTÍCIAS
Published on 2024-03-03 05:25:25
The delivery of Annual Hiring Plans is mandatory, but the list of non-compliers seems to be unrelenting, with many refusing to comply with the law, starting with the Presidency of the Republic and the National Assembly. These Public Contracting Entities (PCE) may, if the law is complied with, have their expenses blocked, or else the Ministry of Finance (MINFIN) will be forced to extend the deadline for the delivery of this important management tool once again.
In the Annual Hiring Plan (AHP), considered essential for the quality of public accounts, new hires and contracts to be extended/renewed/continued for the execution of public works contracts, the leasing or acquisition of goods, and the acquisition of services must be included. If MINFIN extends the deadline again, it will be the third time. However, after several reports by Novo Jornal on the non-compliance of various entities, institutes, and public companies, the Contracting Public Service website already lists the hiring plans of the four higher courts: Military, Accounts, Supreme, and Constitutional. The Ministry of Energy has also submitted the document on the 28th, one day before the deadline set by MINFIN.
Sonangol is another public company that seems not to give the necessary importance to the deadline set for all Public Contracting Entities (PCE), without exception. Just like the National Electricity Distribution Company (ENDE), Television (TPA) and Radio (RNA), the Luanda Water Public Company (EPAL), the Savings and Credit Bank (BPC), and TAAG – Angolan Airlines. Novo Jornal, which has been following the delivery of annual expenditure forecasts on the portal, noted that Endiama, the two railway companies (Luanda and Benguela), UNITEL, Elisal, and many others continue to disrespect the set deadline. This is already the third extension of the deadline imposed by the ministry led by Vera Daves, who, on January 12, postponed the delivery of the AHP to the 31st of that month for the first time.
MINFIN was forced to extend the period for the delivery of annual hiring plans once again, this time to February 29th. According to MINFIN, the delivery of this management tool “aims to objectify the process of identifying the acquisition and hiring needs of Public Contracting Entities (PCE), in which the estimates of hiring and contracts to be executed in the budget of the subsequent economic year are set out”. “The preparation and submission of the AHP to the National Public Procurement Service (SNCP) is mandatory under article 442 of Law No. 41/20 of December 23,” according to the Public Contracts Law (PCL). “All public contracts to effect expenditure must be included in the AHP, according to article 10(1)(a) of Presidential Decree No. 73/22 of April 1 – Rules for the Execution of the State General Budget for the 2022 Economic Year,” states the public contracting manual, which describes that the AHP “covers new hires and contracts to be extended/renewed/continued for the execution of public works contracts, leasing or acquisition of goods, and the acquisition of services of PCE, whether continuous or occasional, in accordance with article 13(3) of the Instructions for the Preparation of the State General Budget for the 2024 Economic Year.” It is important to note that on January 12, MINFIN, through the National Public Procurement Service (SNCP), warned that, “in case of non-compliance,” it would “notify the Internal Control Unit of the Ministry of Finance to block the expenditure of the PCE/UO, under the provisions of article 10(10) of the Annual Rules and Execution of the 2024 State General Budget”.
According to the Public Contracts Law, “Public Contracting Entities are the President of the Republic, the Central and Local State Administration Organs, the National Assembly, the Courts, the Attorney General’s Office, Independent Administrative Institutions and Entities and Angola’s Representations Abroad; local authorities, public institutes, public funds, public associations, public companies, and companies with public domain, as defined by the Law; public legal entities, considered as such any legal entities that, regardless of their public or private nature, pursue the public interest without a commercial or industrial nature and that in their pursuit are controlled or financed by the Angolan State through the allocation of the State General Budget”.
The Minister of Finance has been warning about the need to improve the quality of budget execution, calling for “responsible management” by the staff of state institutions and the Ministry of Finance (see news). “It is expected that managers will respect and apply, rigorously, the established legal precepts,” emphasized the Finance Minister, highlighting that expenditure execution must successively observe budgeting, settlement, and payment stages. “Anything done without respecting that ritual or that circuit is just trouble we are storing for ourselves ahead… irritating creditors, pressure, debts, certification, that ‘nightmare’ we know,” the minister argued, urging strongly that everything be done to avoid it.
Read the original article (Portuguese) on Angonoticias
