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BPP urges stronger procurement standards nationwide (Page 272)

Okeoghene Akubuike

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, says Nigeria must take the lead in Africa by implementing strong, transparent, accountable, and citizen-focused procurement systems that improve service delivery and governance nationwide.

Adedokun stated this during a meeting with non-pool procurement officers from federal parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies in Abuja, emphasising collaboration as essential for sustaining ongoing procurement reforms and improving national compliance.

Adedokun said the meeting aimed to consistently engage key stakeholders, enhance professional capacity, and improve compliance with procurement standards nationwide to support effective reform implementation across ministries, departments, and government agencies.

He said the task ahead remained providing a platform to share best practices, discuss challenges, and align stakeholders with government thinking while collectively strengthening procurement reforms for national progress.

He commended procurement officers for their dedication in spite of operational challenges, acknowledging their critical role in the success of ongoing reforms driven by the Federal Government across various institutions nationwide.

He urged participants to engage actively, stressing collective responsibility in making procurement work effectively across Nigeria and Africa, and reiterated that Nigeria must lead in systems delivering value for citizens.

The Director-General also conveyed the support of President Bola Tinubu, describing him as the chief champion of ongoing procurement reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and efficiency across the public sector.

Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), commended BPP for organising a workshop to equip procurement officers with knowledge of revised prior review monetary thresholds approved by the Federal Government, enhancing transparency.

Represented by Wilson Uwujare, Director Public Affairs at EFCC, Olukoyede said the new thresholds gave accounting officers and tender boards approval powers enabling faster procurement processes and reinforcing accountability across operations.

He warned that the EFCC would intensify monitoring to ensure full compliance with the guidelines, stressing that the thresholds must strengthen procurement rather than enable financial misconduct or administrative malpractice.

Auditor-General Shaakaa Chira, said many procurement infractions discovered during audits stem from weak compliance and limited understanding among officers, calling for stronger commitment to implementing the new national guidelines effectively.

He urged officers to understand and apply the revised thresholds properly to ensure fairness, transparency, and value for money in government spending, helping strengthen accountability across public institutions nationwide.

Dr Musa Aliyu, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said fighting corruption required collaboration from all stakeholders, including procurement officers.

He noted that procurement officers played a pivotal role in ensuring competitive, transparent, and compliant procurement activities nationwide, stressing that their commitment was essential to strengthening integrity in public spending.

Represented by Jimoh Suleiman, Deputy Director, Project Tracking, ICPC, he urged officers to master the new guidelines and ensure compliance to prevent infractions during audits, adding that the workshops would build capacity and promote accountability.

Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Bello, said procurement should be guided by integrity, professionalism, and strict ethical standards and he urged officers to uphold fairness and transparency in every decision.

Represented by Ibraheem Mahmood, Coordinating Director, CCB, he encouraged participants to embrace the new guidelines responsibly and ensure procurement outcomes reflected diligence, honesty, and commitment to serving the public interest nationwide.

A participant, Tamuno Ogolo of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that procurement officers must adhere strictly to the new guidelines to support Nigeria’s development and improve institutional accountability.

Ogolo said the workshop would significantly enhance his competence as a procurement officer, strengthening his ability to deliver transparent, compliant, and effective procurement outcomes within his institution.

Mrs Afolabi Oluwu of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos, said her takeaway was ensuring she performed her duties without compromising standards, appreciating the assurance of support from the Director-General.

She said she was glad the Director-General promised support for officers who followed due process, adding that adherence to guidelines strengthened professionalism and fostered confidence in procurement operations.

NAN reports that the Director-General of BPP also delivered a presentation on implementing the new procurement guidelines and the monitoring frameworks designed to ensure nationwide compliance with established standards. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

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BPP urges stronger procurement standards nationwide (Page 272)