By Haruna Salami
The Senate at its sitting on Wednesday amended Public Procurement Act 2007 and increased mobilisation of local contractors from 15 to 30 per cent.
The upper chamber also reduced the time frame for contract award to two weeks for processing and four days to issue certificates to qualified contractors.
Many senators during the consideration of the report argued that the current mobilisation fee for local contractors was inadequate and that it usually led to contracts abandonment.
Sponsors of the bill included Senators Shaibu Isa Lau, Uche Ekwunife and Danlami Sankara.
The passage of the bill, according to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan was “putting icing on the cake” of what they will do in the Senate on Thursday by passing 2020 budget. The report of the Appropriation Committee was laid Wednesday.
Already they have passed the Finance Bill and now the Procurement Bill both of which will help in the implementation of the 2020 budget.
Lawan said public procurement has been a “bottle neck” in the development process in the country and with the passage of the Amendment Bill Wednesday, the 2020 budget will hopefully record smooth implementation.
