2018 budget: Ministry directs heads of 17 agencies to commence procurement processes immediately

Yemi Adedeji, Abuja

Bitrus Nabasu, the Permanent Secretary, gave the directive in Abuja at the

15th meeting of the ministry with supervising Directors, Director-Generals and CEO’s of the 17 agencies under the purview of the Ministry, with the theme: “Presidential Executive Order 5 and the Way Forward”

He said that the recently signed Executive Order 5 to improve local content in public procurement with Science, Engineering and Technology components, as well as the tremendous budgetary support from just an appropriation of a paltry sum of N27.3m in 2015 to N4.028 billion and N3.409billion in 2016 and 2017 respectively were enough evidence that the present administration places priority to Science, Technology and Innovation (STI),

Nabasu said; “Now that the 2018 budget appropriation Act has been signed into law, I call on all Directors-General/CEOs to commence the procurement processes immediately to ensure full utilization of releases that would be made.

” The Directors of the Ministry are advised to undertake appropriate action accordingly to speed up budget implementation process. The Director (Procurement) and those in Agencies should take the lead in this direction,” he noted.

The Permanent Secretary also advised  all the Directors-General to always consult with the Legal Department in the drafting of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with their numerous partners; irrespective of the fact that they might have legal units in their agencies.

Earlier, the Minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onucalled on  all the Agencies under the ministry to intensify research and innovation to ensure the realisation of the mandate for which they were established.

Such research and innovation, he said, must have direct impact on the lives of Nigerians, while also called on the Directors -General of the various agencies to come up with research proposals the would meet both the immediate and future needs of the country.

Onu revealed that, “arrangements are on to organise an induction training and retreat programme on the current Administration’s expectations to further guide members of the Governing Board so that they can perform their duties more effectively and efficiently.

“I am confident that members of the Governing Boards, after the training, will be in a better position to support the Ministry in our determination to build a nation where we will be able to produce IocaIly many of the things we need but which We currently import from other countries.”