State House challenged to clarify Prof. Oliver Saasa´s Consultancy
…with FQM by anti-graft body Transparency International Zambia
By Staff Reporter
31.05.22
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), the international anti-corruption body, has asked State House to clarify the intricacies around a huge consultancy mining firm First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has awarded President Hakainde Hichilema´s economic Advisor Prof. Oliver Saasa.
TIZ is concerned that Prof. Saasa, as Hichilema´s top economic guru, could have ´overstepped´ his bounds and found himself in a deep “conflict of interest” case via his consultancy firm Premier Consult that has been paid money to evaluate FQM´s $1.3 billion investment pledge.
TIZ in a statement said, “we urge State House to provide clarity and assurance on Premier Consult´s involvement in the FQM evaluation, in relation to the conflict of interest involving the chair of the President´s Economic Advisory Council (Saasa).”
TIZ also called for “transparency” among those advising President Hichilema adding that, “our concern is not about the capacity of Premier Consult to do the work in terms of their qualifications and experience but rather about the broader principles of accountability and transparency in this matter.”
This is according to a statement issued by Mr Sampa Kalungu the President of TIZ in Zambia.
Last week, the news media carried a story about the “glowing evaluation report” Saasa and his firm have just completed that seems to be cleansing the image of FQM.
The question pundits asked then, being asked by TIZ now, are:
• Isn’t there a clear case of conflict interest in Saasa´s case cleansing a mining company given his proximity to Hichilema?
• Should Saasa have declared publicly, a conflict of interest in the matter given his proximity to Hichilema?
• Where and when was the consultancy that was awarded to Saasa advertised and what criteria was used to arrive at Premier Consult for the job?
• How much is Saasa and his company getting paid for the job?
• Did Saasa discuss the consultancy with Hichilema?
• How independently will Saasa speak for both the President and a foreign mining company?
• How independent is the advice Saasa going give to Mr Hichilema on all matters FQM?
So many questions, as Mr Hichilema´s government and his advisors come under harsh scrutiny for escalating white collar corruption since assuming office nine months ago.
What is more concerning this time around has been the loud silence of the United States and the European Union in checking Mr Hichilema´s government regarding graft compared to the harsh condemnation they had on the previous PF government.
The two (US and EU) have so far NOT given any statement on Mr Hichilema´s decision to give a crony a US$ 50 million fertiliser deal to Alpha Commodities linked to a Maurice Jangulo, a friend of Mr Hichilema, the President of Zambia.
See TIZ full statement below:
