Aniefiok Christopher
A member of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, has pushed for setting up of Public Procurement Tribunal to curb contract fraud among some ministries, departments and agencies in the country.
Dr. Idem, representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House, also canvassed for the upgrading of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to Public Procurement Commission (PPC).
‘‘While the Public Procurement Tribunal will be vested with powers to try procurement offenders who run foul of the Public Procurement Act, the establishment of Public Procurement Commission to replace the BPP will enable expansion, efficiency and effectiveness in operations,’’ Idem opined.
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He made the recommendations during the review for amendment of the Public Procurement Act 2007 at a retreat by the National Assembly on Public Procurement Reforms for Effective Legislative Functions for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), in Abuja.
According to him, other key recommendations include funding of the Public Procurement Commission, E-procurement, and employment of staff following the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission in all 36 states of the federation, for effective oversight and enforcement of compliance.
Others are capacity building for employees, enforcement of compliance by corporations, payment for jobs (to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies award contracts only when they have money for such projects, to avoid abandonment, addressing conflicts with Finance Act, review of government stake in organizations and review of contract mobilization.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement said he is ‘‘committed to advancing legislative reforms that will strengthen public institutions, improve governance and ensure that every kobo of public funds is judiciously utilised in the interest of the Nigerian people.’’
The Public Procurement Committee is expected to lay the amendment proposal before the National Assembly before the end of the year.
Public analysts and policy makers see the retreat as part of engagements aimed at pooling contributions to help shape a modern procurement law capable of guaranteeing transparency, accountability and value for money in public expenditure.
