FOLUSHO ALADE,ABUJA
The Senate Committee Chairman on Public Procurement, SENATOR, SHAIBU LAU has stated that the Senate is on the verge of blocking corruption through the Public Procurement process, saying that the essence of a two days public hearing by the committee was tailored towards repealing the obsolete laws used as conduit pipe for corruption in the process of public procurement.
SEN. LAU while addressing journalists after the two days public hearing at the National assembly said, it is a well-known fact that there is corruption in the process of public procurement, because no matter how the laws are, human beings will always look for a way to bypass it.
“You can agree with me that corruption is there, that is the reason we are holding this public hearing. Every law you make after sometimes human beings being who they are, they will find a way either to reconvert the law or do one thing or the other to bypass the law.
“that is why there is need always to repeal your laws, to block the loopholes for all the leakages, and that is exactly what we are doing” he said.
He noted that they have listened to presentations from all the stakeholders invited to the public hearing, now the committee will work on all their suggestions, fears and their beliefs so that they can advise the Senate appropriately.
He further noted that some of the major stakeholders of the sector who were invited did not show up a situation he frowns against.
Meanwhile SENATOR SHUAIBU I. LAU had earlier called for an holistic amendment of the PROCUREMENT ACT NO 14 OF THE 2007 to remove some bottlenecks in the law.
He said that one of the cardinal principles of the 9th Senate as articulated in its legislative agenda is to have a holistic review of the major laws that have direct bearing on the lives of Nigerians, one of such laws is the Procurement Act 14 of 2007 which is supposed to have served as a catalyst to annual appropriation Acts.
The Senator said that the failure of government since 2007 to constitute the NATIONAL PROCUREMENT COUNCIL, NPC may not be unconnected with the composition of the membership of the Council as provided in the Act, adding that the establishment of the Council and the functions of its members was supposed to give life to the Act
