Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Tenders Board and Procurement has complained about poor enforcement of procurement law in the state by Local Government Area Transition Committee Chairmen.
Chairman of the Committee, Mr Chuka Ezenwunne said this during an oversight interaction with the TC Chairmen.
He expressed dissatisfaction over their procurement and contracting processes while revealing that the records of the LGAs showed that they had been engaging directly in procurement and contracting processes.
According to him, this is against the due process as stipulated in the State’s Procurement Law 2011 as amended which state that the Committee has a duty to monitor and ensure that Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and the LGs follow due process in their procurement and contracting processes.
He emphasized that the essence is to help government to save money, fight corruption, block leakages, promote transparency and accountability in the public procurement process for the purpose of good governance, which is the hallmark of any serious system.
Further explainig, he said that when the committe invited the TC Chairmen asking them to come with the following documents — List of capital projects, procurement plan of LGAs, cash flows, evidence of due process and adverts for contract bidding, but they showed up without any of the above documents. On investigation it was discovered that they have been engaging in direct labour for procurement and contracting processes which is contrary to the State’s Procurement Law 2011
Ezenwunne also said that the committee would write to the state’s Bureau of Public Procurement to organise training for procurement personnel of MDAs and LGAs on the provisions of the procurement law, as the training is necessary for them to understand what the law requires of them and do the needful because By next year, they will not be lenient with any defaulting LGA.
Reacting on behalf of the Chairmen, Dr. Nnamdi Nwadiogbu of Oyi LGA apologised to the committee, promising that they would go back and enforce the law on procurement as directed with immediate effect.
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