The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), an anti-corruption organisation, has accused the Federal Executive Council of illegal interference in public procurement and contract approval.
HEDA made this known in a two-page letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari and signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju.
It maintained that due to the non-constitution of the Council, the Federal Executive Council headed by the President has unconstitutionally usurped the duties and responsibilities of the Council.
The organisation asserted that the importance of the constitution of the National Council on Public Procurement cannot be relegated as the function of the Council includes recommending the Director-General of the Bureau to President Muhammadu for an appointment.
HEDA urged President Buhari to immediately constitute the National Council on Public Procurement in compliance with the Public Procurement Act as a measure to stop the illegal interference of the Federal Executive Council in public procurement and contract approval.
"The Public Procurement Act 2007 was enacted to primarily curb procurement frauds in government, reduce to the barest minimum, politicians' involvements in contracts award and procurement, and to ensure accountability in the procurement process,” it said.
HEDA further explained that it is important to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Act, noting that the importance of the Constitution of the National Council on Public Procurement cannot be relegated.
Part of the letter reads, "Your Excellency, Section 1 of the Act establishes the National Council on Public Procurement and Section 1(4) gives you the power to appoint the Chairman and members of the Council.
"It is our firm belief that your Excellency can correct the anomaly and give life not to only to the Public Procurement Act but also ensure politicians are not involved in the procurement processes which was one of the major concerns of World Bank in its Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR), leading to the passage of PPA.”
The organisation, therefore, urged the President to act fast in constituting the National Council on Public Procurement in compliance with PPA.
It said failure to see total compliance or indication of same with their demands within 14 days, HEDA will be forced to approach the court to mandate compliance.
Similarly, HEDA in a separate letter also called on the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Senator Isa Shuaibu Lau, to use his good office to ensure full compliance with Section 17 of the PPA which provides for approving authorities for contracts award and also the Parastatals Tenders Board (PTB) and Ministerial Tenders Board (MTB).
"We, therefore, call on Mr. Chairman to advocate and ensure full compliance with the PPA. It is noteworthy that pushing this compliance at this time of our democracy will aid in restoring the people’s trust in public service and public procurement,” he said.