The South West Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) plans to buy a 15-seater Toyota Hiace bus for FCFA 50 million this year, but concerns have been raised about this budget, which appears excessive.
This expenditure is in the 2025 government project logbook for the South West region, which outlines projects, contracting authorities, and funding sources.
According to the logbook, the PIC will launch the tender for the vehicle on April 28 and award the contract by May 5.
The funds for this purchase will come from the Public Investment Budget for the South West region.
However, the purpose of the bus remains unclear. The PIC’s office, created exclusively for the North West and South West Regions after the 2019 Major National Dialogue, mediates conflicts between local councils and citizens and reporting to the President of the Republic.
This purchase would add to the existing vehicles the PIC’s office owned, but concerns linger about the budgeted amount, which appears excessive.
Exorbitant Budget Raises Questions
Market research suggests that the budgeted amount of FCFA 50 million far exceeds the typical cost of a 15-seater Toyota Hiace bus.
Findings from sources such as Carsguide.com reveal that the 2025 model of this vehicle costs approximately FCFA 30 million.
On its website, the World Health Organization supplies the same bus type to its field agencies at 26,012.80 USD (approximately FCFA 16.2 million). This must be an older model of the bus.
Also, Batfa, a popular Japanese company involved in car sales and exports, lists the prices of the latest models of a 15-seater Hiace bus at 37,800 USD to 42,800 USD, depending on the wheel drive capacity.
Even if the PIC intends to purchase the latest model, the budgeted amount leaves a difference of FCFA 20 million unaccounted for.
If the PIC opts for an older model, the cost could be significantly lower, further intensifying concerns about potential mismanagement or misappropriation of funds.
Transparency Concerns
The lack of a detailed justification for the 50 million FCFA allocation has raised several questions: Will the PIC import the vehicle, and if so, what are the costs for transportation and customs clearance?
How much profit will to go to the contractor? Why is there no transparency on these additional expenses?
These unanswered questions fuel suspicions of potential embezzlement or mismanagement.
Prioritizing Basic Needs
Critics argue that allocating FCFA 50 million for a single vehicle is extravagant, especially when pressing developmental needs, such as better roads, access to potable water, and reliable electricity, remain unaddressed.
This is particularly troubling for a region still grappling with the effects of the Anglophone Crisis.
Given the current socioeconomic challenges, many believe the PIC could use the funds to address urgent community needs rather than spend then on an overpriced bus.
