The acting director general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPP) Olusegun Omotola, has said the bureau is working on strengthening the procurement systems at not just the federal level but also at state levels.
He stated this at a training organised by the BPP for the Governing Board of the Katsina State Bureau of Public Procurement for Economic Development and Job Creation. Omotola, while giving his Remarks during the Opening Ceremony of the two-day workshop on ‘Public Reform for the Governing Board of the Katsina State Bureau of Public Procurement’ said there is need to strengthen institutional framework at all levels.
Adding that, “Public Procurement is a strategic tool for economic development” Omotola said, to achieve “Mr. President’s mandate in the area of procurement, there is the need for proper harnessing of knowledge to get good results in work. He said the core of any Procurement Reforms are the cardinal principles of Modernisation, Legislative and Regulatory framework, strengthening institutional framework and Management Capacity. Stressing that, improvement of procurement operations, market practices and strengthening integrity of procurement systems are core cardinals.
“BPP is currently on the path of repositioning itself to improve the procurement operations and market associates as well as strengthening the integrity of Public Procurement system by supporting fair and competitive practices, stressing the use of technology such as e-procurement system to ensure delivery and value- for- money in public expenditure.”
He furthered that having members of the Governing Board of the Katsina State BPP is a strategic move by the state Government to equip the strategic apex of the state BPP with relevant knowledge, skills and exposure that will position the state to achieve the dividends of strategic and sustainable public procurement practices in the state.
The Bureau, he said, is happy with the partnership and called on other States Public Procurement Regulatory bodies to embrace this type of knowledge exchange to enrich the public procurement practices at sub-national level across the country.
“I expect that at the end of this workshop, the members of the Governing Board of the Katsina State Bureau of Public Procurement would have gained knowledge and useful insight on the Provisions of the Public Procurement Laws and Guidelines, practical tips and practices on the performance of regulatory functions, and entrenching ethical standards and Code of Conduct in public procurement practices”. He pointed out.
The Director-General of Katsina state BPP, Badamasi Yau Yantumaki, in his address said, the Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umar Radda is committed to Transparency and Accountability, which is aimed at promoting public confidence and trust in the state.
Yantumaki noted that the Katsina State BPP initiated a number of Reforms to ensure Best Procurement Practices that would become a service culture in the State, these are; Capacity Building, Domestication of Procurement Cadre in all government entities with a view to ensure that all government agencies adhere to the provisions of Public Procurement laws in all procurement processes.