The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related
offences Commission are currently probing 150 organisations and
government Ministries, Departments and Agencies for offences related to
the violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
The Director-General, Bureau of Public
Procurement, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in an interview with our
correspondent on Monday at the opening of the Procurement Cadre
Conversion Training Programme in Abuja.
Also being probed are 200 persons
involved in various infractions of the Act, which articulates the due
process to be followed by the MDAs in the procurement of goods and
services in the public service.
Offences for which the institutions and
public officers are being investigated include collusion in contract
bidding, use of fake documents, false claims by contracting firms and
suppliers, and manipulation of the procurement process.
“As we speak, about 150 organisations,
including private companies, Ministries, Departments and Agencies as
well as 200 persons are being investigated for various infractions of
the Procurement Act,” Ezeh said.
The Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, who confirmed the probe, added that
procurement officers found culpable would be punished.
Anyim, who was represented at the event
by a director in his office, urged public servants involved in the
procurement process to conduct themselves with the highest sense of
responsibility, accountability, ethics and integrity.
He said, “Government remains committed
to the implementation of the Public Procurement Act. Mr. President has
recently designated the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the
Federation as the champion for the implementation of the registration,
categorisation and classification of current and intending contractors,
consultants and service providers to the government and its agencies on a
national database.
“The objective is to ensure that only
competent and capable firms are selected to tender for government
contracts. This will also ensure transparency in contractors’
prequalification and selection processes, and hence minimise the
incidence of collusion and disappearance of contractors after the
collection of mobilisation fees.”
He added, “It might interest you to know
that ICPC and the EFCC are currently investigating cases of
infractions, which include but not limited to collusion amongst bidders
and manipulation of the procurement processes.
“Any public officer found to have
colluded with unscrupulous contractors, consultants or service providers
to defraud or short-change the Federal Government shall be dealt with
in accordance with the law.”
Also speaking, the Lead Procurement
Specialist, World Bank, Chief Bayo Awosemusi, said 30 per cent savings
could be achieved when international procurement standards were
followed.
He said the best procurement did not
have to be the cheapest, but added that such procurement must meet
certain principles and objectives, including economy, efficiency, value
for money and timeliness.
Awosemusi commended the BPP for driving
the process of professionalising procurement in the nation’s public
service, adding that though the process was fraught with several
challenges, the reward was immense.
source: PUNCH.
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