TheCable

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) says it stopped the federal government from wasting N680 billion in five years, promising to be stricter in the years ahead.

Ahmed Abdul, the acting director-general of the bureau, made this disclosure at the end of the second National Conference on Public Procurement (NACOPP), adding that further savings in the contract award process will mean a greater focus on corruption preventive measures.

Abdul said N680 billion saved between 2009 and 2014 for the nation was through its prior review of procurements made by ministries, departments and agencies.

He said the process was aided by the sanitization of the public procurement system through the registration, categorization and classification of federal contractors, consultants and service providers on its national database.

He emphasized that as a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), Nigeria’s fight against corruption is expected to shift from corrective to preventive measures.

“All of these are aimed at aligning Nigeria’s procurement system with global best practices,” Abdul said.

“NACOPP is a veritable forum to achieve synergy with state governments on procurement issues. This is because, despite the different levels of government in the federation, there is only one Nigerian economy”.

Abdul noted that at the last count, about 25 states had set up their public procurement regulatory agencies.

“Many of them have received inspiration and support from the Bureau to set the different structures to enable them entrench viable procurement systems in their states,” he said.

“Just recently, six personnel from Ondo State spent two days to familiarize themselves with the operations of the Bureau. Similar programmes were organized in the past for teams from Lagos and Taraba States.”

He pointed out that procurement was globally recognized as tool for good governance considering the immense benefits derivable from a sound procurement system.

“The Bureau’s unique role in the fight against corruption is that it prevents corruption, which is the most cost-effective approach to fighting corruption.”

Abdul added that the first edition of NACOPP led to the inception of national public procurement forum, made up of heads of procurement regulatory bodies at federal and state levels.

The theme for the 2016 edition was: “Sustaining the Anti-Corruption Campaign through Best Procurement Practices.”

Its objectives were: to introduce state government representatives to the objectives and benefits of public procurement reform; to provide a national platform for policy makers to interact and share experiences on public procurement procedures and processes and; to identify and agree on further strategies for improving on the implementation of the public procurement reform.