In a recent statement, the Network for the Actualization of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), a public procurement advocacy group, expressed concern that over 70% of public procurement proceedings in the country are being conducted within the confines of a select few individuals’ bedrooms. The group commended the Federal Government’s initiative to review the Public Procurement Act of 2007, emphasizing the necessity of amendments to address the current challenges in the procurement landscape.
The statement, signed by Mr. Akingunola Omoniyi, Head of Office at NEFGAD, and made available in Abuja, applauded President Bola Tinubu for demonstrating courage and strategic leadership in confronting a significant obstacle to the country’s growth and development.
Omoniyi stressed that the current Public Procurement Act, enacted approximately 15 years ago, requires a comprehensive review to align with global best practices and accommodate evolving operational dynamics in the public contracting sector. He asserted that the Act, in its current form, facilitates a culture of impunity in public procurement, offering a veneer of legality to blatant irregularities.
According to Omoniyi, the Act has been distorted to the point where a tendency for restricted and selective procurement has become the norm, with more than 70% of procurement proceedings taking place in the private quarters of privileged individuals who bear supervisory and regulatory responsibilities under the Act. This, he contended, results in a substantial portion of the contract sum ultimately benefiting those overseeing the procurement process rather than addressing critical national development needs.
Omoniyi underscored that the Public Procurement Act does not hinder development, contrary to assertions by some self-serving elements. He clarified that the Act’s only mandated timeline is the six-week newspaper advertisement period for bid solicitation, designed to foster competitiveness and ensure value for money. All other timelines and processes, he noted, remain at the discretion of procuring entities.
The statement further highlighted the alarming reality of over 11,000 abandoned federal projects, attributing this to the corrupt few who manipulate the procurement system for personal gain. Omoniyi identified a significant contributing factor to the procurement system’s degradation as the consistent violation of the Procurement Act by successive governments through the non-constitution of the National Procurement Council and the appointment of the Director General for the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) through non-competitive selection processes.
In offering recommendations, Omoniyi urged President Tinubu not to entertain proposals advocating his leadership of the National Procurement Council. He emphasized that heads of state globally focus on policy discussions and program development rather than engaging in contract negotiations with contractors. Additionally, he called for stiffer sanctions against rampant mis-procurement, particularly instances of reverse-procurement where proceedings are initiated and sometimes concluded without adequate financial backing.
