In line with the Government’s strategy to promote and increase private sector involvement in the country’s economic and social development plan, particularly in the area of public utility services, the Government has taken the initiative to introduce the Public Private Partnership (PPP) program.
The “partnership” is in essence a way of public services provision whereby the Government contracts with private sector companies to build finance and operate infrastructure for public services or for its own use. At the end of the contract the infrastructure transfers to State ownership increasing the stock and value of public assets.
PPP’s introduce the disciplines and efficiencies of private sector management and methods to the provision of public services. Experience from other countries now points to significant advantages in terms of cost, value and quality of the delivered services. Such participation aims at improving the quality of services provided to citizens, alleviating the burden on the State budget without affecting the state ability in providing services at fair social prices, creating job opportunities, stimulating investment and consumption thus boosting growth, while attracting FDI’s, and others.
Affirming government’s seriousness to activate the PPP initiative, a PPP Unit was established within the Office of the President and reporting directly to the Chief of Staff. The PPP unit is therefore charged with co-coordinating the PPP national programs across ministries and public bodies. The last four years since its inception has witnessed the Unit moving from an establishment phase to a development phase and now we are working on sustaining all the gains to ensure that growth and sustainability is maintained.