FG to Sanction Heads of Agencies over Abuse of Procurement Act

Insists contracts, projects should only be advertised in national dailies, tenders board
Paul Obi in Abuja

The federal government on Tuesdaysaid it would henceforth sanction any chief executive or director general heading government departments, agencies or parastatals over the abuse of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

This was made known at a forum for chief executives of agencies,  chairmen, secretaries of tenders board and other relevant stakeholders in the administration of procurement.

Speaking at the forum, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Folashade Esan, said sanctions had become imperative given the high cases of abuse of the Public Procurement Act.

Esan told journalists that “the Procurement Act is what we are talking about, and in that act the responsibility lies solely on the shoulders of the chief executive. In that act, it stipulate what the sanctions are.

“One sanction is that the liability of what you do  in office lies with you even after you have left service. Even if the chief executive is in place for four or five years and leave service, he or she will be called back to answer what he did in office,” she stated.

The permanent secretary further warned head of agencies to ensure that advertisement for contracts and projects are only placed on national dailies and federal tenders journal.
According to Esan, “every adverts for contracts should be placed on national dailies.”

Asked what criteria is used to determine national newspaper, she explained that “the Public Procurement Commission has the list of national dailies, and in addition to that, they must placed the advert In the federal tenders journals.” Also,  Director of Procurement, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Hussaini Adamu, added: “It is necessary to  state that the provisions of the act cover all federal  government procuring entities as well as other units which derived at least 35 per cent of funds appropriated for any type of procurement.

“It is on that note, that effective and timely implementation of the budget couple with strict compliance to the provisions of the act becomes expedient for all procuring entities.”

Adamu further tasked the participants to be vigilant in their services in order “to curb excesses in execution of government business” and ensure “legal and institutional framework for the enthronement of transparency, accountability, value for money, economy and efficiency in the procurement of works, goods and services within MDAs for direct and maximal benefits of all Nigerians.”