On Thursday Defense Minister Alberto Otárola announced the creation of the Central Military Procurement Agency.

The Minister said the new agency would aim to streamline and bring accountability to purchases made by the country’s armed forces.

According to Peru21, the agency would centralize purchases, and would maximize efficiency and prevent delays.

The new agency was announced days after news broke about the army providing its soldiers with rotten food rations, and inadequate body armor.

Last week, the Comptroller General’s office announced spoiled food rations led to 88 percent of soldiers discarding their food over fears of getting sick. The office also announced it would investigate the purchase of bulletproof vests that lacked the appropriate reinforcement plates.

On Thursday Otárola stressed the new agency would provide greater transparency and efficiency.

"It will also improve the monitoring and implementation of the budget allocated to the defense sector," he said, according to Peru21.

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