House Of Reps Pledges Legislative Action To Tackle Contract Delays And Abandonment

House Of Reps Pledges Legislative Action To Tackle Contract Delays And Abandonment

The House of Representatives has reaffirmed its determination to tackle the widespread issues of contract delays and abandonment in Nigeria through legislative reforms. This commitment was declared during a public hearing on a bill to amend the Public Procurement Act, 2004, organized by the House Committee on Public Procurement…READMORE…

Committee Chairman Hon. Unyime Idem highlighted that over 90% of capital projects in Nigeria face delays and requests for variation, often due to inflation, devaluation, and mismanagement. He stressed the need for contractors to demonstrate financial capacity at the time of contract award and adopt best practices to prevent delays.

“The culture of delays predates inflation and devaluation. It’s driven by incompetence, corruption, and lack of accountability. We must address this legislatively,” Idem stated. He contrasted Nigeria’s lengthy project timelines with faster practices in countries like Egypt, where contractors work continuously to halve completion times.

Despite the lawmakers’ stance, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, and his predecessor, Emeka Ezeh, opposed the amendment. They argued that sanctions for delays are already embedded in contract agreements and that the proposed changes could undermine the Public Procurement Act’s intent.

Dr. Adedokun suggested focusing on the enforcement of existing laws and ensuring timely fund releases, while Ezeh emphasized addressing systemic issues in the project delivery process, including needs assessment, design, and fiscal policy impacts.

The debate underscores the complexity of addressing Nigeria’s persistent project delays and the balance needed between legislative reform and effective implementation of existing frameworks.

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