The House of Representatives is expected to commence debate on the general principles of a bill which seeks to impose stiffer sanctions on any contractor over undue delay in completing contracts awarded by various projects awarded at the federal level.
The private member bill was sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Public Procurement Act, CAP. P44 Laws of the Federation, 2004; otherwise referred to as the Principal Act.
According to the bill exclusively seen by Tribune Online, the proponent of the bill, proposed the insertion of a new Section 37 to the Principal Act.
Clause 2 of the bill, stated that: “The Principal Act is hereby amended by inserting a new Insertion of new
“Section 37 after the existing Section as follows; 37 Notwithstanding any provision in the contract of agreement, where a contractor fails to deliver a contract within the target period with express permission from the relevant authority, the contractor shall be entitled to grace of ninety (90) days after which shall be liable to pay a damage not exceeding five (5) percent of the contract sum.”
According to the Explanatory note of the bill, the bill “seeks to amend the Public Procurement Act to provide for damage against the contractor on issues relating to delay in completion of the contract and to specify the deadline.”
In line with extant legislative practice, the Committee on Rules and Business is expected to gazette the bill for second reading.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then