Group Calls for Probe of Public Procurement Process, Accuses Ministers of Bypassing Due Process

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A group, the Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), has called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate the way members of his cabinet allegedly violate the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.

In a letter to the president titled: ‘Rampant Contract Approvals and Payments Without Due Process Certificates: A Call for Investigation’, the group accused ministers of allegedly bypassing due process in contract awards under the pretext of timely implementation of the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The letter, which was igned by Akingunola Omoniyi, head of Office of NEFGAD, said the group “have it on good authority that most of the requests for approvals without due process usually come in the guise of impediments/delays experienced under the public procurement regulation by these purveyors.”

Omoniyi added: “In the name of trying to fast-tracking the implementation of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, these appointees are using blackmail and pitting authorities and entities against the procurement law and regulation with claims of (Public Procurement Act) delaying their procurement processes. This is the exact fashion and style they adopted in running previous administrations, including your predecessor, aground either directly or through their cronies and allies within the system.”

The letter alleged that cabinet members making such claims about the procurement process were doing so for “personal aggrandisement and or advancement of inordinate motivations which are clearly in contrast with the spirit and letter of the country’s extant procurement/fiscal responsibility laws and regulations.

“It is in response to the aforementioned that we put up this appeal to you to use your good office to call for investigation into this allegation of seeking approval without due process against some of your appointees, in order to nip in the bud any tendency that has inclination of bringing your administration to a state of disrepute.

“We humbly employ you to use other intelligence to verify this infraction and many more underhand practices ongoing around public procurement by your trusted appointees.” The letter dated December 18, 2023, was submitted to the presidency yesterday.