Senate urges Buhari to set up National Council on Public Procurement

The Senate on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently set up the National Council on Public Procurement in line with the Procurement Act.

The appeal followed a motion moved by Senator Theodore Orji (PDP-Abia Central), who expressed concern that since the passage of the Act in 2007, the Council was yet to be established.

“Without the establishment of the National Council on Procurement, the Procurement Act is as good as a dead letter no matter the rhetoric.

“There is every need to empanel the Council to avoid erosion of public confidence in the procurement process.’’

Orji also called for harmonisation of existing government policies and practice through the development of legal framework and professional capacity for procurement in the country.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, urged Buhari to ensure that the council was set up as soon as possible.

He also called on the relevant committees of the Senate to take a critical look at the Procurement Act and review it where necessary, in order to make it more efficient. (NAN)