Civil Society Criticizes Digital Procurement Portal of Akwa Ibom State Government 

By Tony Esin 

The Akwa Ibom State Government's recent launch of a digital procurement portal has sparked controversy, with the civil society criticizing the move.

Chairman of Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Akwa Ibom, Comrade Harry Udoh in an interview, praised the digitization of the contract bidding process but argued that it should have been handled by the state's procurement board.

He stated: "Now, this governor again has opened a portal and is asking that businesses  should go and register so that they can be able to bid for contracts in the state. There is Akwa Ibom Public Procurement Board that should handle that, not the FGPC(Finance and General Purposes Committee). So this contradicts the public procurement law of the state. That contradiction is a bit worrysome for me. It will now be like the government is going against the same law it had put in place..."

Udoh claimed that the development is not just a duplication of functions but a complete usurpation of the powers of the procurement agency and a breach of the state's procurement law. Akwa Ibom State has a procurement law in place, which establishes a procurement  board responsible for directing procurement activities.

In contrast, the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Engr. Frank Ekpenyong, described the digital procurement portal as a trailblazing initiative that will ensure fairness in the bidding process for government contracts. The portal aims to create more opportunities for indigenous contractors.

The Akwa Ibom State Government last Friday launched of a digital procurement portal aimed at creating more opportunities for indigenous contractors.

At a joint press briefing on Friday at the Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo, the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Engr. Frank Ekpenyong, described the initiative as a trailblazing that will ensure fairness in the bidding process for government contracts.