Former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hassan Al-Saghir, affirmed that the problem with schoolbooks, medicine, and basic goods in Libya is not related to the supply mechanisms, timing, or source, but rather to the identity of the entity that is awarded the contracts. He pointed out that corruption and nepotism still control the public contracting process.
New contracts exceed previous ones by 40 million dinars
Al-Saghir explained in a post on his Facebook page that “a company, established in less than two weeks, was able to submit a bid and sign a contract,” suggesting it may have purchased the books from the previous contract holders.
He added that the difference between the previous and current contracts is about 40 million dinars, clarifying that the previous contracts were valued at 90 million dinars, while the new contract reached a value of 129 million dinars.
Criticism of contracting mechanisms and lack of transparency
Al-Saghir believed that these large discrepancies confirm the lack of transparency in managing public funds and the continued practice of awarding contracts in ways that do not adhere to standards of competition and integrity, calling for a comprehensive review of awarding and contracting mechanisms in government institutions.