The LGN 2.0 tender faces renewed scrutiny as alleged procurement irregularities and financial losses draw presidential attention.
The controversial LGN 2.0 tender has returned to the spotlight after complaints and evidence concerning alleged financial irregularities and corruption reportedly reached the President and criminal investigation officials.
The latest development follows our previous article, “A Rs. 4 Billion Heist Under the Guise of Digital Infrastructure!!!”, which first highlighted allegations surrounding the controversial Lanka Government Network project.
As a result of the latest complaints and evidence submitted to authorities, the procurement process has once again come under intense scrutiny.
The project operated between 2016 and 2018 with the objective of connecting a large number of state institutions through an integrated national communication platform. The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) jointly implemented the project, which had an initial value of nearly Rs. 4 billion.
LGN 2.0 Tender Selection Process Questioned
The central allegations concern the selection of the System Integration partner for the LGN 2.0 tender.
According to the complaints, authorities awarded the tender to a supplier allegedly lacking sufficient technical experience in large-scale system integration. The complaints claim that high-level political intervention influenced the selection process at the time.
Further allegations concern the Request for Proposals (RFP) document. Complainants allege that officials drafted the document in a way that favoured a particular foreign product and its local agent.
The complaints also claim that the company which secured the tender later subcontracted its core network operations. According to the allegations, those operations went to another competing institution that had independently participated in the original bidding process.
Another major allegation concerns several amendments to the original contract after the parties signed it.
The complaints submitted to authorities claim that these amendments waived substantial penalty payments that should have gone to the government because of service delays. The alleged waivers, according to the complaints, caused significant losses to state funds.
Calls Grow for Faster Investigation
The Criminal Investigation Department had previously launched an investigation into the allegations surrounding the project. However, complainants have alleged that the investigation subsequently slowed down.
Concerns have now emerged that individuals allegedly connected to the suspected irregularities could evade legal proceedings. Complainants have also pointed out that one key official has already left the country.
Against this background, those raising the allegations have called on the President to expedite investigations into the LGN 2.0 tender and ensure that authorities enforce the law against anyone found responsible.
The renewed scrutiny places the multi-billion-rupee digital infrastructure project back under official attention, with the allegations covering tender selection, technical qualifications, RFP specifications, subcontracting arrangements and contractual amendments.
The complaints now seek a faster investigation into whether the alleged irregularities caused losses to public funds and whether those responsible can be held accountable under the law.
