The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Thursday hailed the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) new 20-day timeline for the completion of procurement process and award of contracts.
The Minister said the latest initiative is a game-changer, saying that the procurement process would no longer be shrouded in secrecy.
Idris, according to a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim spoke in Abuja on Thursday when he received the Director General of the Bureau, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun and the management staff on a courtesy visit to his office.
He said: “Before now, issues of procurement sometimes were shrouded in some form of mystery. I’m glad that you are unraveling this now by making it transparent. There is really nothing to hide. If company “A” gets a contract, let everyone know that company “A” has gotten a contract and these are the reasons. Once this transparency is being upheld by your agency, I can tell you that people will lose their contract and be happy for it,” he said.
Idris therefore stated that the new initiative of completing the entire procurement process within 20 working days is a game-changer and a clear demonstration of the leadership focus, innovation, and determination to revolutionize the procurement procedures in the country.
The Minister is confident that an efficient procurement process would conserve resources, which would be deployed to poverty alleviation in the country.
He pledged his ministry’s readiness to work closely with the BPP to create awareness on the procurement process as well as wage a campaign against vandalism of public infrastructure.
Idris also explained why the ministry renamed the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, replacing its former name, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
He said it was aimed at prioritizing public reorientation and the reclamation of national values.
“What the President is trying to say is that there is a new focus on reorientation and reclaiming of our national values and the President will very soon launch the National Values Charter on behalf of Nigerians,” he said.
Earlier, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, stated that the agency has implemented a well-structured procurement process to promote fairness, accountability, and competition in the award of contracts.
He said henceforth, all procurement process by Ministries, Departments and Agencies should be completed within the first half of the year.
Dr. Adedokun stated that the Bureau is transitioning to an electronic procurement system to allow contractors from various parts of the country, as well as those operating internationally, to participate in the bidding process.
He said the Bureau is now categorizing and classifying consultants and service providers to build the capacity of local contractors to be competitive globally.
The Director General added that ministries, departments, and agencies are now required to submit a quarterly report detailing all contracts awarded, including the names of the contractors, which will be uploaded to the BPP portal to further enhance transparency in the contract award process.
He stated that new procurement guidelines have been developed for medical equipment, food security, and vehicles to ensure standardized and seamless procurement processes.
