- Unveils digitization, cost-saving measures
- As Adebowale takes over as DG
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In a major move to increase productivity and lessen operational disruptions, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has declared that contractors would no longer be allowed on its property.
It said that this action will improve service delivery and foster a calmer workplace.
Contractors before the announcement of the ban, frequently used these visits to urge the Bureau for special or restricted tenders, avoiding competitive bidding procedures, according to agency sources.
The former Acting Director-General of the BPP, Olusegun Omotola, made this disclosure while handing over to the new Director-General, Adedokun Adebowale, at a brief ceremony held in its conference room in Abuja.
The constant flood of contractors looking to follow up on requests for “no-objection” certificates, according to Omotola, made the prohibition imperative.
The volume of transactional visitors gave the Bureau the appearance of a marketplace in the past, according to Omotola, who also said that the restriction has given the organisation the peace it needs to concentrate on its primary responsibility of guaranteeing efficiency and openness in public procurement.
“Previously, the Bureau had the appearance of a marketplace due to the number of transactional visitors,” he said.
Omotola stressed that the new policy has eliminated such pressures, enabling the Bureau to operate as a serious-minded organization.
The new Director-General, Adebowale, pledged in his inauguration address to improve the agency’s operations by implementing an electronic procurement system. He said that this would reduce in-person encounters and solve issues impeding the Bureau’s effectiveness.
“Under my leadership, the BPP will deliver an electronic procurement system to this government. We aim to make the Bureau an enabler of sustainable development,” he stated.
Adebowale, a pioneer staff member of the BPP since its inception in 2007, emphasised the importance of digitization in expediting service delivery.
He pointed out that processing periods for no-objection letters and due process certificates had already decreased from three months to a maximum of one month.
In order to empower women, youth, and people with disabilities, the new Director-General has laid forth plans to implement sector-specific policies.
He also underlined the necessity of working with all 36 states to institutionalise state and federal procurement procedures.
“There is no way we can succeed in procurement at the federal level if we do not build partnerships with the states. We must create the right environment for agencies to excel and deliver results to the federal government,” Adebowale said.
In contrast to earlier procedures that permitted customised or limited tendering processes, the new BPP DG reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to guaranteeing open competitive bidding. He pledged to coordinate the Bureau’s operations with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government.
He assured stakeholders that the organisation would make use of its resources to support economic expansion and guarantee budgetary compliance.
“BPP is not just a cost-saving organization; it is a tool for economic growth. If we get procurement right, we will get it right for the country,” he said.
Assuring Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Bureau’s support within the parameters of its mandate, Adebowale also urged MDAs to assume more accountability for their procurement procedures.
In an effort to decrease the number of requests it gets and streamline its processes, he said the BPP has also implemented a new policy. In order to guarantee prompt service delivery and complete existing digitisation initiatives that have been halted by financial difficulties, Adebowale promised to fortify these steps.
“There is no gainsaying that digitization will accelerate service delivery. With improved motivation for staff, the turnaround time for processing requests has significantly improved,” he said.
The Bureau plans to focus on addressing frivolous requests for restricted tenders and ensuring compliance with the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
An highlight of the event was was a rousing welcome given Adebiyi at one of the two buildings of the Agency where he stopped to announce his presence before the swearing in ceremony.
He announced the immediate appointment of one of his former colleagues at the agency, Dr Lanre Obasa, as his Chief of Staff.