After the three-day retreat organised for the heads of various parastatals in Abuja, under the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing last weekend, it was resolved that the National Assembly compels foreign companies involved in construction projects in Nigeria to sublet certain components of the projects to local/indigenous contractors with a view to building their capacity.
In a communique released after the retreat, it was agreed upon that the National Assembly should enact a law that would allows the procuring entities to strictly adhere to the approved threshold as contained in the procurement guidelines issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement Act, 2007 and other extant rules, and also amend it with a view to reducing the time frame of the procurement process. the need to build the capacity of public officials involved in public procurement.
Also contained in the communique were that the Office of the Surveyor General should submit the cost estimate for National Enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS), and the need to prioritise maintenance of existing infrastructure with a view to reducing high cost of expenditure on rehabilitation and the need for the Ministry to look inward in addressing challenges of project implementation through team work.
The Retreat that had in attendance, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Permanent Secretary of Works and Housing Sectors, Engineer Abubakar Magaji, Directors, Chief Executive Officers of parastatals and Head of Units in the Ministry, including the Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing Sectors, Engeneer. Abubakar G. Magaji, was informed by the need for the Ministry to reposition itself in its mandate of providing the much expected infrastructure in the country including good road network, affordable housing and efficient power supply.
It was observed that apart of the need for foreign contractors to sublet components of their projects to the indigenous contractors, or engineers, the need for the establishment of procurement planning committee is necessary to fast track the procurement process based on budget proposals without necessarily waiting for the passage of the Appropriation Act, thorough scrutiny of payments to consultants for project supervision in order to obtain maximum value for money.
“The administrative procedures are critical to maintaining in regulating order, general principles and rules of providing public service and should be adhered to strictly.
“It’s necessary to have a bureaucratic social system that relies on rules, procedures, separation of functions and a hierarchical structure which should adhered to in controlling government transactions to promote accountability, probity, openness and fairness.”
The communique also emphasised that the relationship between the ministry and its parastatals should be based on respect, understanding, clear communication for effective service delivery, while advising that induction training should be carried out quarterly for newly appointed officers to acquaint them with the administrative procedures of the public service sector.
Among other recommendation was that effective project implementation requires specialized management skill, effective planning, budget and clearly defined scope and specific performance requirements that are expected to be made, with the observation that projects should not be implemented without adequate feasibility studies, proper planning and supervision so that implementation is not adversely affected.
and then