Group Warns FG Against Amending Procurement Act Without Stakeholders’ Input

The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), has urged the federal government not to amend the Procurement Act without getting Stakeholders’ input.

The group said any amendments to the law should not be done without the professional input of relevant stakeholders and should focus on government spending.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by the NEFGAD spokesperson, Akingunola Omoniyi, and released to the media in Abuja on Tuesday.

Last week, the 10th National Assembly announced plans to amend the Public Procurement Act.

During a meeting with the Bureau of Public Procurement, who appeared before the House Committee on Procurement to defend its 2024 budget estimates, Unyime Idem, the Chairman of the committee and representative of Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State, disclosed this.

While reacting to the development, 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 includes citizens and stakeholders’ engagement and input, through a call for memoranda and public hearing,” the group said.

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

“Public procurement is the lifewire of government and the main channel through which governments serve the people, it constitutes over 90 percent of entire government spendings, hence any legal framework around its operations must seek the input of people it intends to serve. The people must have a say in the way and manner they want to be served and catered for, Mr Akingunola said.

The group said it will mobilize citizens and stakeholders to protest any amendment that falls short of constitutional provisions and necessary legislative guidelines.