Senate to Amend Procurement Law – Saraki

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Senate to Amend Procurement Law – Saraki

By Correspondent

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has said that as a way of realising the objectives of the 2016 Budget, the Senate will, immediately after the completion of the on-going process of passage of the Appropriation Bill, commence the amendment of the Procurement Act. Saraki made this known while addressing the organisers of the Made in Aba Trade Fair who visited him in his office. He affirmed that certain sections of the Act need to be reviewed to ensure that the scarce resources which are available from the budget are well utilised. He said the Act will be amended to ensure that Made-in-Nigeria goods are patronised and that government agencies only resort to imported goods when there are no local alternatives. He also said areas of the law dealing with advance payment for government procurement should be scrutinised. The Senate President said the 8th Senate, under his leadership, is in support of the protection of local industries through appropriate legislations, patronage and direct intervention. “This is the only way we can create jobs, solve the problem of unemployment and stop the growing army of aggrieved youths who pose a danger to society. We can do it. We have the population which translates to a huge ready market. This is how we can genuinely help our people. “The chairmen of our relevant committees are being put on notice to ensure that they focus their oversight on these areas. We must make sure that government agencies like the Armed Forces can patronize the shoe making industries in Aba and other places”, he said. He, however, urged local industries to make their prices competitive as well as increasing the quality of their products. Saraki also thanked Senator Enyinanya Abaribe who led the delegation to his office for his consistency in promoting goods made in Aba over the years. “Senator Abaribe has done so much in promoting Made-in-Aba goods. In fact, it is his constituency project and he has invested so much time and money on it, even before the decline in oil price. This is import substitution and I assure you of the support of the Senate in this endeavour”, he said. Abaribe, in his speech, said the promoters of Made-in-Aba goods will want Section 34 subsections 1, 2 and 3 of the Procurement Act amended so that government agencies will be required to buy local goods and can only resort to imported goods after getting certification from the Bureau of Public Procurement stating that there is no local alternative. He urged the Senate President to help Aba based manufacturers get the much needed government recognition and encouragement. The group also invited Saraki to attend the trade fair holding in Abuja from February 9.

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