Public Procurement Law Now Operational In Osun
The Government of the State of Osun has appointed Mr. S.O. Fadele, as the acting General Manager of State of Osun Public Procurement Agency.
This followed the signing into law of the Public Procurement Law 2015, by Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Since the enactment of this law, Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the State of Osun has through this agency fully conform to public procurement standards prescribed by the Law.
With hundreds of ongoing projects across the state, the enactment of the Public Procrement Law has saved the state government millions of naira. This is tandem with the essence of signing into law, the Public Procurement Law, 2015.
The state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had while signing the bill into law at the Executive Chamber Lounge of the governor’s office in Osogbo said “procurement was one way government interfaces with the people and enlivens its domestic economy.”
Mr. Aregbesola said it was important that the resources of government were managed judiciously and the procurement process seen to be transparent and equitable.
He held that government, as stewards of public funds, must be accountable and be seen to have got the best deal for the people with public funds.
Mr. Aregbesola said government had put in place adequate guideline to safeguard the law from being abused by people.
He said, “No matter how well intentioned any policy of government is, it is bound to be abused by unscrupulous elements saddled with its operation.
The State of Osun Public Procurement Law 2015 consist of 81 sections which would ensure probity, accountability, transparency, value for money as well as establish fair pricing standards and benchmarks.
Section 23 (1)-(27) was coined in line with best global practices in procurement and even modeled to suit peculiarities in the State of Osun so as to forestall any act of sabotage right from the outset of any procurement process.
Section 25 of the new law makes it mandatory that all procuring entities must have a procuring Office with the function of initiating the entity’s procurement process.