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Procurement Act Review: NEFGAD Decries that Over 70% of Public Procurements Done in Bedrooms, Says Amendment of Act Long Overdue
Procurement Act Review: NEFGAD Decries that Over 70% of Public Procurements Done in Bedrooms, Says Amendment of Act Long Overdue
By: Michael Mike
A public procurement advocacy group, Network for the Actualization of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) has decried that 70 percent of procurement proceedings are being initiated and concluded in the bedrooms of privileged few in the country, even as it
commended the Federal Government over plan to review the public procurement Act 2007 for possible amendments.
The group in a statement, signed by its head of office, Mr Akingunola Omoniyi and made available to Saturday in Abuja. said President Bola Tinubu has again demonstrated courage and tact in tackling one of the most vicious enemies of the country’s growth and development.
Akingunola stressed that ‘’the current Public Procurement Act enacted about 15 years ago is due for review in line with global best practices and changing operational dynamics in the public contracting sector.”
He noted that the Public Procurement in Nigeria has become an ‘anything goes’ phenomenon whereby everything and anything is possible maintaining that the Public Procurement Act in its current form is creating veneer of legality to blatant procurement illegality.
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He said: “The Act as it stands has been so bastardised to such an extent that restricted/selective tendency is now a norm rather than exception with more than 70 percent of procurement proceedings being initiated and concluded in the bedrooms of privileged few on whom the Act placed so much supervisory and regulatory responsibilities. The implication of this dastardly act is that 70 percent of the contract sum ended up under the same bedroom through which the procurement proceedings emanated as against solving critical national developmental problems.”
Akingunola emphasised that the Public Procurement Act is not creating any obstruction or impediment to development as what some self serving elements will want the people to beleif, the only timeline set out by the Procurement Act is the mandatory six weeks newspaper advertisement period for bid solicitation, and the wisdom in this is to promote competitiveness that will ensure economy and value for money, all other timeline and processes are at the discretion of procuring entities.
The statement further emphasised that for the country to be littered with over 11,000 abandoned federal projects alone under a regulated procurement system shows that it is the corrupt few that are now regulating their pockets.
‘’One of the major contributing factor for the bastardization of the procurement system in the country is that successive governments are in the habit of enforcing the Procurement Act in breach by the non constitution of the National Procurement Council and appointing Director General for the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) through the back door of non-competitive selection.
Akingunola admonished president Tinubu not to consider the distractive proposal of some people making the President head of National Procurement Council, noting that presidents all over the world only sit to discuss policies and programmes not with contractors to debate contracts either at weekly Federal Executive Council or as Chairman of a National Procurement Council.
He also advised the government to enslaved stiffer sanctions against rampant mis-procurement particularly reverse-procurement whereby procurement proceedings are initiated and sometimes concluded without cash backing.
End
Procurement Act Review: NEFGAD Decries that Over 70% of Public Procurements Done in Bedrooms, Says Amendment of Act Long Overdue
Troops repel kidnapping attempt on Makurdi–Kura road, driver killed in crossfire
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops have repelled an attempted kidnapping along the Makurdi–Kura road in Benue State, but a driver was killed during a crossfire between soldiers and suspected bandits on Wednesday evening.
Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. when a group of engineers travelling from Kura to Makurdi encountered armed men who had blocked the road, intending to abduct passengers in a bus ahead of them.
According to a local source, soldiers on routine patrol were behind the engineers’ vehicle and immediately engaged the attackers in a gun duel, forcing the assailants to flee into the bush.
During the exchange of fire, Ochoche Otokolo Ekwu, the driver of the engineers’ vehicle, was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.
The source said the Divisional Police Officer of ‘D’ Division mobilised a patrol team alongside tactical units to the scene, where the corpse was evacuated and deposited at a mortuary in Makurdi.
The source added that security operatives are currently combing nearby bushes to track the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks along the route.
Troops repel kidnapping attempt on Makurdi–Kura road, driver killed in crossfire
Police Officer goes missing after signing out rifle in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
A police officer has been declared missing in Katsina State after signing out a service rifle for duty and disappearing without a trace.
Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred on Nov. 23 when PC Ahmed Tukur attached to the Danmusa Division, reported for duty at about 6 p.m. and signed out an AK-47 rifle with breech number 13492 for standby duty.
Shortly after collecting the weapon, the officer left the station for an unknown location and has not been seen since.
A source told Zagazola that all efforts to contact him, including visits to his residence and reaching out to relatives, have yielded no clues about his whereabouts.
The source said the command has launched sustained efforts to trace the officer and recover the missing rifle, describing the situation as “a serious operational and security concern.”
Police Officer goes missing after signing out rifle in Katsina
News
Community leaders’ engagement and intelligence gathering are key to the security situation. – Governor Bini
Community leaders’ engagement and intelligence gathering are key to the security situation. – Governor Bini
By: Yahaya Wakili
Yobe State Governor Hon. Dr. Mai Mala Buni CON has said that the security challenges in the nation need to involve community leaders and individuals for intelligence gathering so as to cut off sources of illegal arms supply in the country.
He said by involving the community leaders and individuals for intelligence gathering, it will arrest the sponsors in order to restore peace and stability to Nigerians.
Governor Buni disclosed this today when he received members of the forest guards training and evaluation committee at the Government House, Damaturu.
Ably represented by his Deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana (Wazirin Fune). He urged Nigerians to emulate the sacrifices made by our forefathers to end security challenges and build a better Nigeria.
The governor assured that recently the service chiefs have given assurance that they will do everything possible within their reach to bring to an end the current insecurity, especially in Northern Nigeria.
He informed the delegation that the Yobe state government has been working tirelessly to improve the security situation in the state.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation, Major General H. I. Mabeokwu, told the governor that they were in Yobe State to brief the governor on the ongoing training of 865 forest guards in the state.
According to Major General Mabeokwu, the committee had earlier visited the Yobe state camp to monitor the ongoing training and inquired about the needs of the trainees and the standards set for the training.
“Your Excellency, we have made significant strides in not only training those forest guards but also raising their awareness about the importance of forest conservation.” Major General Mabeokwu said.
He commended the governor for his generosity in terms of welfare for the instructors and trainees as well as relocation and renovation of the training camp and facilities used to enhance the training.
The committee members comprise the Nigerian Army, Navy, DSS, NNSBS, and NPS across the security agencies.
Community leaders’ engagement and intelligence gathering are key to the security situation. – Governor Bini
Troops repel kidnapping attempt on Makurdi–Kura road, driver killed in crossfire
Police Officer goes missing after signing out rifle in Katsina
Community leaders’ engagement and intelligence gathering are key to the security situation. – Governor Bini
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