FG Orders EFCC, ICPC To Probe Breaches Of Public Procurement

The Federal Government has ordered Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Ofences Commission, ICPC, to investigate cases of infractions against the Public Procurement Act, 2007, with the hope of punishing any civil servant found to have colluded with contractors to subvert the Act.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, who dropped the hint at the 2018 Procurement Retreat for Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government agencies and parastatals in Abuja, weekend, vowed that any CEO found to have conspired with contractors to sideline the procurement process and procedures contrary to the act, would be dealt with.

EFCC operatives He said: “The ICPC and the EFCC are currently investigating cases of infractions which is against the Public Procurement Act (PPA), 2007, with the hope of punishing any civil servant found to have colluded with contractors to subvert the rules of the Act.

“Any CEO who defaults or colludes with contractors or found to sidelined the procurement process and procedure, contrary to the provisions of the PPA, 2007 would be sanctioned.”

The SGF, who was represented by Permanent Secretary for General Services in the Office of the SGF, Olusegun Adekunle, also said the Federal Government had ordered all its agencies and parastatals to adhere strictly to the 2007 Procurement Act in contracting projects.

The retreat was organised by Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, entitled: “Public Procurement for Sustainable National Development.”

Mustapha said the CEOs of the parastatals, being the accounting officers of implementing agencies, had a crucial role to play in national infrastructure development, building skills and competencies that were critical for the execution of transparent and efficient public procurement that guarantees good value for money.

He warned the CEOs not to do business with any government contractor without proper registration on the national database hosted by the BPP, adding that every government agency must henceforth have a full-fledged procurement department manned by BPP trained and certified officers.

In her goodwill message, the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, said a good procurement process was critical to transparent and good procurement processes.

Oyo-Ita, who was represented by Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Ndubuisi Osuji, said officers must stand firm and commit to play by the rules for a more efficient, transparent and cost-effective contracting and execution of projects, urging them to be very thorough in applying the rules with high sense of responsibility.

Jail term awaits defaulters -Magu

In his remarks, Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, warned all public and civil servants, especially the heads of government agencies, to adhere strictly to the 2007 Procurement Act in award of contracts and procurement processes or risk jail sentence.

He said: “For us everybody has a duty to fight corruption. I want to warn that only strict adherence to 2007 Procurement Act will save you from jail term.

“Nothing will stop us in the fight against corruption, nothing. I say nothing, nothing at all. Nobody can stop the fight, it has come to stay and we are determined.”