By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives on Thursday asked the Federal Government through the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to review the budgetary allocation of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The House equally urged the Bureau of Public Procurement to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Civil Society Organizations and the National Assembly to enhance the provision of a legal and institutional framework and professional capacity for public procurement in Nigeria.
The House further mandated it’s Committees on Public Procurement and Appropriations, toollow-up and ensure upward review of the Bureau’s budgetary allocation in subsequent budget estimates.
According to the Lawmakers, their action is in line with current realities in subsequent budget estimates to enable successful discharge of the Bureau’s core mandate.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Rep Unyime Idem during plenary in Abuja.
Moving the motion, Idem noted the need for the attainment of transparency, competitiveness, cost effectiveness, value-for-money and professionalism in the public sector procurement system.
He said that the Public Procurement Act 2007 established the Bureau of Public Procurement as the regulatory authority responsible for the monitoring and oversight of public procurement, harmonizing the existing government policies and practices by regulating, setting standards and developing the legal framework and professional capacity for public procurement in Nigeria.
“The Bureau is empowered to, among other things, oversight over 800 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to ensure the implementation of established procurement policies, and due process compliance.
“There is the needs to ensure monitoring and surveillance of Federal Government Procurement Procedures and ongoing projects across the six geopolitical zones.(NAN)
