IN clear violation of the new guideline by the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has spent the sum of N202 million on six contracts from the COVID-19 Intervention Fund without evidence of procurement plans, The ICIR has found out.

The projects were part of a list of 49 contracts awarded during the current pandemic with a total sum of N1,167,696,509.84.

Some of the fundings were donations from corporate organisations and individual Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s effort to cushion the effects of the pandemic. As of June 30, CACOVID has donated N30.15 billion.

CACOVID is a private-sector task force working in partnership with the Federal Government, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) with the sole aim of combating Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

But while the 49 awarded projects were detailed in the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO) of the Bureau of Public Procurements (BPP), six other contracted projects were missing from the BPP’s procurement plans database, even after the projects have been completed.

The projects include: Procurement of real-time PCR machine to the NCDC in the fight against COVID-19 (N9,836,400.00); establishment of molecular laboratory testing centre in Adamawa (N43,250,000.00); emergency procurement of critical supplies (N45,500,000.00) and an emergency supply of personal protective equipment, accessories cover and other items to the NCDC awarded at (N48,450,000.00).

Others were the procurement of VTM and SWAB Sticks (N16,974,000.00) and the procurement of critical supplies for COVID-19 response (N38,400,000.00).

The BPP has stated on its website that though, it temporarily suspended the normal Open Competitive Bidding Method due to the pandemic, only emergency procurement for essential goods would be conducted.

Nevertheless, the BPP gave a caveat allowing all MDAs with emergency projects, to submit procurement plans to its website before they can be awarded and payments made.

“All procuring entities are to prepare procurement plans for all projects that specifically respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the bureau stated in the guideline signed by Mamman Ahmadu, the Director-General. “Any project that is not included in the procurement plan of the procuring entity shall not be processed for payment notwithstanding the source of funding for the project.

“COVID-19 Projects not captured in NOCOPO may not be funded by the Federal Government for implementation.”

The decision, it stated, is to ensure transparency and accountability when projects are awarded, despite easing its strict procurement guidelines.

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/covid-19-funds-ncdc-spends-n202-million-on-six-items-without-procurement-plan/

Their problem!

Even Corona sef go look our politicians, shake her head before she go carry nose mask wear.

What a country and leaders?

Good

We see opportunity in every opportunity

Which way Nigeria? Tufiakwa!