The Tinubu Media Volunteers (TMV) has welcomed the Federal Government’s new policy on contravariation across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), describing it as a timely and necessary intervention that would plug loopholes and restore integrity to Nigeria’s public procurement system.
The new policy seeks to centralize contracts variation and augmentation under the authority of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which is to serve as a clearing house for such adjustments before submission to an approving authority such as the Federal Executive Council, Ministerial Tenders Board and other approving authorities including the National Assembly and the National Judicial Council.
In a statement by its Chairman Chukwudi Enekwechi and Secretary Segun Ogedengbe, TMV noted that the latest guidelines supersede those of 2013 which required presidential approval for variations above 15% of the initial contract sum of N1 billion.
It said: “We note that based on the new policy which is derived from Section 5 (a) and (o) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 under the supervision of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP work variations of N10 billion and above must go through the Federal Executive Council, National Judicial Council and National Assembly Tenders Board.
“The new policy encompasses the comprehensive guidelines on the implementation of the revised policy of the variations of contract sums and mandatory use of final designs.
“Additionally, the guidelines stated that the augmentation/variation sum, not the total revised cost, will henceforth determine the approving authority. For works variation of N5 billion to below N10 billion, they will go to the Ministerial Tenders Board while works variation of N75 million to below N5 billion will go to the Parastatal/ Judicial Tenders Board.
“It is noted that the latest guidelines supersede the 2013 guidelines which required presidential approval for variations above 15% of the initial contract sum of N1 billion.
“Also under the new guidelines no variation or fluctuation claim shall proceed to the relevant approving authority without a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
“We consider the new guidelines as apt in Nigeria’s contract management and administration as they will help plug loopholes and restore sanity and transparency in the system.”
The group applauded the Tinubu administration for activating the new policy as a means of promoting good governance for the benefit of all Nigerians.
