Contract oversight

The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) says the NYPD ran 1,710 searches using Flock license plate reader technology despite publicly denying it held a contract with the company. S.T.O.P. and LatinoJustice PRLDEF are demanding records related to their findings. Civil liberties advocates say the discrepancy raises serious questions about transparency and oversight of surveillance tools used by New York City police.

A commentary by Lawson Akhigbe examines the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) affair, in which a shell company won a multi-billion-dollar arbitration award against Nigeria through a gas contract that was never fulfilled, amid findings of bribery and procurement failures. The piece draws lessons about weak contract oversight in Nigerian bureaucracy and contrasts the case with the Mambilla hydropower project, which the author views more favourably.

An internal watchdog audit has found that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement wasted millions of dollars while spending billions to expand the immigration detention network. The findings raise questions about oversight of detention contracts and how taxpayer money has been used as detention capacity has grown. The audit is likely to fuel ongoing debate over immigration enforcement spending and calls for accountability.

A federal audit has identified shortcomings in how contracts for nuclear security are overseen. The findings point to gaps in oversight of contractors responsible for protecting nuclear facilities and materials. Details of which agency conducted the audit, what specific deficiencies were found, and how officials plan to respond have not been made clear. Oversight of nuclear security contracts is a sensitive area, and any reported weakness is likely to draw scrutiny from lawmakers and the public.

South Africa's Department of Health reportedly channelled about R182 million into communication contracts using money meant for HIV, tuberculosis, and child nutrition programmes. The allocation of funds earmarked for life-saving health services to communications spending has raised concerns about prioritisation and oversight in the department's budget.