Civil rights group warns FG against compromising public procurement laws in Nigeria's cargo tracking policy
A civil rights group, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) has warned the federal government against compromising government procurement laws in implementing the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) to improve the country's security and strengthen its revenue base.
The agency argued that only strict adherence to applicable laws and a deep sense of patriotism would ensure accurate and efficient collection of imports from the new political regime.
In a statement Thursday in Abuja by its Executive Director, Barrister Frank Tietie, CASER pleaded with the Ministries of Transport, Finance, Petroleum, the Office of National Security Advisors and that of the Chief of Staff of the president to act in the best interests of the country on the issue of cargo tracking policy.
Specifically, the rights group called on relevant government departments and agencies to resist opportunists by ensuring full compliance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act in this regard.
The group noted with displeasure that the implementation of such an important national security project with high revenue potential has suffered massive setbacks from unscrupulous businessmen and Nigerian public officials who were determined to circumvent public procurement directives.< /p>
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Among the setbacks, the group revealed that illegal weapons are pouring into Nigeria daily undetected through its ports, while import and export agents deprive the Nigerian government of revenue to accrue from correct loads .
The statement read in part; “The level of crude oil theft primarily perpetrated by shippers in conjunction with unscrupulous government officials and multiple inspection agents, who often under-report crude oil volumes at various export terminals for corrupt enrichment, is extremely disturbing.
"Therefore, when recently, in 2021, the Federal Ministry of Transport attempted to implement the ICTN without due process, selecting some companies that had no capability or an iota of related experience in implementing implementation of the ICTN, CASER raised an alarm to the President, the Office of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA).
"As such, CASER had to take legal action in the Federal High Court in Case No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1587/2021 when it became apparent that former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi , was determined to use both his political influence and official privilege to overrule necessary inter-agency checks and the express provisions of the Public Procurement Act in the appointment of enforcement officers for such a sensitive national security project as the ICTN.
"As a result, the Federal High Court issued an injunctive order, restraining the Minister for Transport himself and the Ministry from appointing such companies to implement the ICTN pending the hearing and decision of the action brought by CASER, seeking to rescind and set aside any alleged appointment of implementing companies on the grounds of non-compliance with applicable provisions of the Public Procurement Act which require, where applicable, competitive bidding transparent, as well as the capacity and competence in the implementation of the ICTN.
“The Nigerian authorities must refuse to be blackmailed in any way by any company that has submitted an unsolicited proposal to them, claiming that they are capable of providing the services implementation of ICTN services in Nigeria.
“The federal government must ask questions and perform the necessary due diligence on any company that not only claims to provide such a sensitive service, but such a company must have participated in the various forms of bidding as contained in the law on public procurement.
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A civil rights group, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) has warned the federal government against compromising government procurement laws in implementing the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) to improve the country's security and strengthen its revenue base.
The agency argued that only strict adherence to applicable laws and a deep sense of patriotism would ensure accurate and efficient collection of imports from the new political regime.
In a statement Thursday in Abuja by its Executive Director, Barrister Frank Tietie, CASER pleaded with the Ministries of Transport, Finance, Petroleum, the Office of National Security Advisors and that of the Chief of Staff of the president to act in the best interests of the country on the issue of cargo tracking policy.
Specifically, the rights group called on relevant government departments and agencies to resist opportunists by ensuring full compliance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act in this regard.
The group noted with displeasure that the implementation of such an important national security project with high revenue potential has suffered massive setbacks from unscrupulous businessmen and Nigerian public officials who were determined to circumvent public procurement directives.< /p>
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Among the setbacks, the group revealed that illegal weapons are pouring into Nigeria daily undetected through its ports, while import and export agents deprive the Nigerian government of revenue to accrue from correct loads .
The statement read in part; “The level of crude oil theft primarily perpetrated by shippers in conjunction with unscrupulous government officials and multiple inspection agents, who often under-report crude oil volumes at various export terminals for corrupt enrichment, is extremely disturbing.
"Therefore, when recently, in 2021, the Federal Ministry of Transport attempted to implement the ICTN without due process, selecting some companies that had no capability or an iota of related experience in implementing implementation of the ICTN, CASER raised an alarm to the President, the Office of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA).
"As such, CASER had to take legal action in the Federal High Court in Case No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1587/2021 when it became apparent that former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi , was determined to use both his political influence and official privilege to overrule necessary inter-agency checks and the express provisions of the Public Procurement Act in the appointment of enforcement officers for such a sensitive national security project as the ICTN.
"As a result, the Federal High Court issued an injunctive order, restraining the Minister for Transport himself and the Ministry from appointing such companies to implement the ICTN pending the hearing and decision of the action brought by CASER, seeking to rescind and set aside any alleged appointment of implementing companies on the grounds of non-compliance with applicable provisions of the Public Procurement Act which require, where applicable, competitive bidding transparent, as well as the capacity and competence in the implementation of the ICTN.
“The Nigerian authorities must refuse to be blackmailed in any way by any company that has submitted an unsolicited proposal to them, claiming that they are capable of providing the services implementation of ICTN services in Nigeria.
“The federal government must ask questions and perform the necessary due diligence on any company that not only claims to provide such a sensitive service, but such a company must have participated in the various forms of bidding as contained in the law on public procurement.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO MINE BITCOINS AND EARN DAILY. YOU CAN ALSO WITHDRAWAL TO YOUR DAILY BANK ACCOUNT. REGISTRATION IS FREE.
Earn a guaranteed legal income daily through sport and it is paid to you in dollars. Find out how
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