News Investigators/ Adebowale Adedokun, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has urged procurement officers to prioritise value for money, transparency and accountability to improve service delivery.
Mr Adedokun made the call at the opening of the second batch of the Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme, on Monday in Port Harcourt.
Represented by Mr Nasir Bello, the Director, Civil Infrastructure Department, Adedokun said that the programme would boost the performance of procurement officers
He said that the training was organised to equip officers with procurement principles, processes, regulations and ethics in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007.
The D-G described public procurement as a strategic instrument for national development, economic growth and effective implementation of government policies.
Mr Adedokun said that sound procurement decisions would ensure that funds allocated to hospitals, schools, roads, agriculture and security translated into quality services.
He urged the participants to distinguish between the lowest bid and the best evaluated offer, correct wrong practices, and pursue further professional development beyond obtaining training certificates.
He said that the bureau would monitor their performance after the training to ensure that lessons learnt translated into improved workplace practices.
Mr Nelson Ojougboh, the Coordinator, Training and Programmes, said that participants were selected through an advertised and rigorous process.
“This was done considering their professional levels, years of service, and schemes of service,” he said.
Ojougboh stated that the programme gave priority to junior officers in order to establish sound procurement practices early in their careers, and strengthen professional capacity within government institutions.
The coordinator described the participants as cooperative and compliant, adding that certification would depend on assessment performance rather than attendance alone.
Ojougboh said that the resource persons were screened by the bureau for competence and experience, and that participants could continue to seek professional guidance after completing the programme.
Mr Hamza Abdullahi, the Procurement Officer, Consumer Protection Tribunal, Abuja, said that the training would deepen his understanding of procurement processes and improve his competence in handling contract awards.
Abdhullahi commended the Federal Government for creating opportunities for procurement officers to network, exchange ideas and promote effective management of public funds.
Also another participant, Mr Chima Kingsley Awuruonu of Imo State University, Owerri, described the training as timely, saying that it will strengthen procurement practices, and promote value for money in public expenditure.
Awuruonu said that procurement officers’ decisions directly influenced the quality of hospitals, roads and other infrastructure delivered to citizens.
Shekina Lamb, a Procurement Officer with Alex Ekwueme University, Enugu, said that the training would strengthen accountability, integrity, confidence and value-for-money practices in her professional responsibilities.
NAN