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- Wants digitalised bidding process to curb fraud
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Centre for Public Accountability (CPA), has raised concern over inflated quotations for procurements, lamenting that in act is draining the Federal Government’s budgetary allocation.
CPA insisted that Ministries, Departments and Agencies should switch to a digitalised bidding process to curb waste in government.
Its Executive Director, Olufemi Lawson, who raised the concern in a statement yesterday, noted that public procurement remains one of the most critical components of governance globally.
“It is through procurement that governments execute projects, deliver infrastructure, provide social services and stimulate economic growth.
“In Nigeria, procurement has historically faced significant challenges including inflated contracts, abuse of due process, weak oversight mechanisms, contractor fraud, policy inconsistencies and institutional inefficiencies,” he said.
Lawson, however, claimed that the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has demonstrated significant commitment toward repositioning Nigeria’s procurement system in line with global best practices.
According to him, “Our assessment reveals that within the first fifteen months of the present administration at the Bureau, the BPP has embarked upon some of the most ambitious procurement reforms witnessed since the enactment of the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
“The Bureau has successfully revised procurement thresholds and operational guidelines that had remained outdated for years. This reform has significantly reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks, improved procurement timelines, enhanced administrative efficiency and strengthened strategic oversight across MDAs.
“The CPA notes that this initiative has contributed to improved clarity in procurement approvals and minimized unnecessary delays that previously hampered government project implementation.”
He added that the introduction of revised Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs) across MDAs has enhanced procedural uniformity, improved transparency and reduced opportunities for manipulation and abuse within procurement processes.
“The deployment of clear and standardized templates has improved competition among contractors and strengthened confidence in the procurement system.
“The CPA commends the Bureau for developing the Nigeria First Policy Framework designed to prioritize local content, domestic manufacturers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), women-owned businesses and indigenous service providers.
