Procurement Act: We will mobilise Nigerians to protest amendments without stakeholders, citizens’ input, NEFGAD tells FG

By: Michael Mike

Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), a public procurement advocacy group has warned the federal government against towing the path of seeking amendments to the Public Procurement Act 2007 without stakeholders and citizens input as provided by relevant laws and due legislative process.

The group threatened to mobilize citizens and stakeholders to protest any amendment that fall short of constitutional provisions and necessary legislative guidelines.

The group issued this warning through a statement signed by its Head of Office, Mr. Omoniyi Akingunola and released to the media in Abuja on Tuesday.

The group said it received from reliable authority that “some elements within the system had perfected plans to hurriedly smuggle suffocating and self-serving provisions as amendments to the Act with timeline clandestinely allotted to the amendment processes with blatant disregard to stakeholders and citizen’s input.”

The group further stated that the interested parties already have drafted manuscripts to be handed-out to The constituted Public Procurement Act amendment committee and the National Assembly with no regard to citizens and stakeholders’ input.

The group however said it has nothing against the amendment of the Public Procurement Act which it said was long overdue, but insisted that the right and due process of amendment must be followed as stated in the Nigerian constitution. This due process, it said, includes citizens and stakeholders’ engagement and input, through a call for memoranda and public hearing.

The group said it frowned at a situation whereby for over a month, the only information in the public regarding proposed amendment to such an important law on public procurement was the inauguration of the selected amendment committee.

Akingunola said public procurement is the lifewire of government and the main channel through which governments serve the people, it constitutes over 90percent of entire government spendings, hence any legal framework around its operations must seek the input of people it intend to serve. The people must have a say in the way and manner they want to be served and catered for.
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Procurement Act: We will mobilise Nigerians to protest amendments without stakeholders, citizens’ input, NEFGAD tells FG