Government cancels bidding for 47 projects over lack of funds

Contractors groan, urge fairness in future process

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday cancelled procurement proceedings for 47 projects placed under bidding between December 2014 and December 2015.The NPA claimed that the projects, which were earlier advertised in national dailies and the Federal Tender Journals were cancelled in “public interest.”

“This is to inform the General Public that the Procurement Proceedings of 47 projects advertised in some national dailies and Federal Tenders Journal have been cancelled in the public interest,” NPA said in its public notice 3950.

The Guardian learnt that the authority was not satisfied with the procurement proceedings on the contracts and decided to reverse it for due process to take place.

The management of the agency yesterday met with the bidders at its headquarters in Marina, Lagos, where many of the affected firms, apparently unhappy, urged a fair bidding process in the new regime.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, NPA, Iheanacho Ebubeogu told The Guardian yesterday that the authority decided to cancel the contract proceedings due to cash flow issues and other priorities.

He said: “The contracts have not been awarded. In line with the provisions of the procurement act, we can cancel the process at the point that we are presently. “The reason for that decision is to review them. And based on our cash flow and priority, we will take them piecemeal,” Ebubeogu explained.

One of the bidders expressed dissatisfaction with the development, claiming that his company has poured so many resources into the process. He lamented that the cancellation would amount to a loss to him.

The bidder enjoined the managing director of NPA to be fair in the new procurement process and not allow political interference in the award of the contracts.He appealed that the due process should prevail in the new era of contract procurement.