accountability

While I was working at the GTZ office in Abuja, the office decided to purchase some new computers. The Nigerian IT Officer and myself both recommended that these should be mid-range models, which would be "fit-for-purpose", i.e. email, browsing, word processing and spreadsheets. This advice was over-ruled by Ed ("International Consultant") who determined that top-of-the-range PC's should be purchased, each PC costing about 1,000 Euros more than the standard model. There are about 20 PC's in the office in total.

Ed is an IT wannabe, the sort of person who always upgrades to the latest model of mobile phone. etc. Maybe that's why he need to get paid so much.

1,000 Euros is not much in terms of GTZs' budget (one days "work" from a consultant), but when you realise that this money is paid by German Taxpayers intending it to help poor Nigerians then it's not hard to imagine how this money could be used more constructively.

I'm planning to visit the GTZ Head Office in Eschborn in a couple of weeks to discuss the workings of their Abuja Office. I'll keep you informed.