Pres. Tinubu orders MDAs to review procurement plans, address funding gaps
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to reassess their procurement plans to identify and address any funding discrepancies.
This directive was issued during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, explaining that the President’s decision aims to reconcile the Appropriation Act, Public Procurement Law, and Fiscal Responsibility Act.
Bagudu revealed that a committee, chaired by Attorney General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, has been established to review the Public Procurement Act.
This initiative, he added, is intended to ensure consistency between the appropriated funds and the actual amounts needed for project execution.
“President Bola Tinubu today, in line with the desire to enhance more fiscal discipline and further demonstrate our commitment to serving Nigerians better, raised the issue of reconciliation between the Appropriation Act, Public Procurement Law, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act,” Bagudu said.
The President has tasked the committee with providing a report that clarifies where necessary funding will come from and offers recommendations to guide the FEC’s decisions.
This effort aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in government spending and project execution.
“After a robust discussion, the President directed that all ministries, departments, and agencies should review their intended procurement as provided for in the appropriation. Where there are gaps between appropriated sums and sums required to execute the projects, these should be brought to the attention of both the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Federal Ministry of Finance,” Bagudu added.
The report from the Public Procurement Committee is to be presented to President Tinubu for further action, ensuring that decisions are made with a clear understanding of funding sources and requirements.
