Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has assured Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state of its readiness to give necessary legislative support that will aid development and progress of the state in line with Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Completion Agenda.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, made this known on Wednesday when representatives of MDAs appeared before the Committee to defend their respective budget estimates for the year 2010.
He made specific emphasis on the domestication of the Procurement Act in the state as requested by Bureau of Technical Matters and Due Process and urged the Bureau to liaise with the Assembly to ensure proper frameworks are done in that regard.
Briefing the Committee on the activities of the Bureau, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor Technical Matters and Due Process, Elder Ufot Ebong, who disclosed the many successes of the Bureau to members of the Committee, said the fiscal performance of the Bureau needs legislative backing and support from the lawmakers to enable it discharge its responsibilities effectively.
According to Elder Ebong, the Public Procurement Act, as passed by the National Assembly, requires public institutions and other relevant parties to ensure that all public procurements are conducted in a manner that is transparent, timely and equitable and based on the agreed guidelines with a view to ensuring probity and accountability in the running of government business.
He further explained that the Act, if domesticated, will aid the state to award timely and cost-effective contracts to qualified contractors, suppliers and service providers for the provision of goods and services.
Those that also appeared before the Committee for their 2020 Budget Estimates included Life Enhancement Agency, Akwa Ibom State University, Office of the State Head of Service, Akwa Ibom State Property and Investment Company (APICO), Akwa Ibom State Liaison Office (Abuja) and Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation.