- NEFGAD criticizes World Bank proposal to alter Public Procurement Bill 2023, cautioning against undermining the existing Public Procurement Act
- The group urges the government to prioritize the nation’s unique challenges and aspirations in the formulation of procurement regulations
The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) has criticized a World Bank proposal concerning the draft Public Procurement Bill 2023. The World Bank suggested removing the regulatory power of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to issue certificates of “No Objection” to contracts, deeming it operational rather than regulatory. The bank recommended transferring this responsibility to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
In a six-point position paper presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with copies sent to other relevant institutions, NEFGAD, represented by its head of office, Mr. Akingunola Omoniyi, cautioned the federal government against succumbing to external pressure that could undermine the successes achieved through the implementation of the Public Procurement Act over the last 17 years.
The paper, titled “Harmonised National Procurement Stakeholders and Citizens’ Positions on Draft Public Procurement Bill 2023,” highlighted the need for careful consideration of external recommendations, emphasizing that a peer review and fitness test revealed the World Bank’s suggestions as hypothetical and lacking detailed consideration of the country’s unique challenges.
NEFGAD stressed the importance of preventing the country from becoming a testing ground for regulations that could disrupt the smooth operation of its public procurement system. The organization urged the government to prioritize the nation’s peculiar challenges and the aspirations of its people in formulating procurement regulations.
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