SGF DECLARES 2024 TRAINING FOR INDUCTION, CONVERSION INTO THE PROCUREMENT CADRE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OPEN
By Mcanthony Onuoha
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, on Monday, declared a three week training for Induction/Conversion into the procurement cadre in Parastatals, Institutions, Commissions and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria open.
The three weeks training organized by Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) commenced on Monday, 21st October, at Festival Hotel, FESTAC, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State with a good number of participants from the public sector.
A CROSS SECTION OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE EVENT
Declaring the event open, the Secretary of the Government of Federation, Sen. George Akume, ably represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Dapo Oyedemi, stressed the imperatives of the three weeks intensive training. According to the SGF, “the programme is a foundational course that is aimed to engendering accountability, transparency and integrity in public service. Continuing, the SGF stated that, “procurement is a critical function that impacts every sector of the government. Through the programme, we aim to address the critical challenges we face in our public procurement system, ensuring they are robust, transparent and responsive to the needs of our people”.
” Procurement is an enabler and a critical function that impacts every aspect of governance, and sustainable development from the construction of infrastructure to provision of health care system, sound education system as well as render assistance to Small and Medium Scale businesses for the overall benefit of our citizens”.
According to the SGF, ” when got right, procurement can be a veritable tool for social and economic driving process. The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is mandated to organize training as provided in Subsection 5k and 5S of Public Procurement Act 2007, the BPP is to organize and develop programmes for the Procurement professionals. The role aligns with the global best practices as observed in countries like Ghana, India, South Africa, Bangladesh, EU, UK, The United States of America, etc., as it serves the need for continuous capacity development”.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Acting – Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Barrister Olusegun Omotola, started by addressing the critical roles the participants would play as procurement officers in a time of “significant Public Procurement Reforms”. According to him, ” as we embark on this journey together, it is essential to understand the landscape of public Procurement Reform, the pivotal part you will play in its success, and the key behavioral elements that set you apart as leaders in the procurement cadre.”
” Let me begin by examining the context in which we find ourselves. Public Procurement Reform is not just a buzzword; it is a necessary evolution of our practice to meet the changing demands of the public sector and society at large.” He listed modernization of legislative and regulatory framework; Strengthening of institutional framework and Management capacity; Improvement of Procurement operations and market practices; and Strengthening integrity of public Procurement system as the four pillars that would drive their journey to public Procurement Reform, adding that the objectives of Procurement Reform are multifaceted.
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SGF, MR. DAPO OYEDEMI, PRESENTING HIS KEYNOTE SPEECH
According to the Acting DG, ” we aim to modernize the public Procurement Regulatory Frameworks to meet the evolving economic demands in Nigeria, offer greater flexibility in Procurement procedures and embrace modern public Procurement practices such as sustainable public Procurement, Green Public Procurement (to tackle Climate Change challenges) and Social Value Focused Public Procurement ( getting more benefits i.e social value outcomes from contracts beyond the specified goods, services or works). He stated that work was ongoing on the review of the current public Procurement Act 2007 in that regard, as they seek the support of stakeholders when it gets to the floor of the National Assembly. He disclosed that the review and modernization of the Bureau’s Standard Bidding Document and Public Procurement Regulation and Manual was also at an advanced stage.
Furthermore, Barrister Olusegun reminded the participants that, “as soon- to- be- converted Procurement officers, you are entering the Procurement cadre at a transformative time. The era of procurement reform presents both Challenges and opportunities, and your role in navigating this landscape is crucial .Remember, you are not just administrator of processes; you are strategic partners in delivering public value and Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. Your expertise, adaptability, ethical standards and collaborative skills will be instrumental in driving successful procurement reform and elevating the strategic importance of the procurement function within your organization”.
He expressed a profound appreciation to partners in the fight against corruption and the reform journey. The world Bank, European Union and International IDEA, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and other regulatory bodies for their continuous support and collaboration in the prevention and fight against corruption in public procurement. He also thanked the Lagos State Public Procurement Authority for always honouring their invitations, assuring them of the Bureau’s strong commitment and collaboration in the discharge of their collective mandates.
” I also wish to express our sincere appreciation to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), the Office of the Attorney- General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the office of the Head of Service of the Federation for their unalloyed support and encouragement to the BPP in this public procurement reform journey”.
He advised the participants to pay maximum attention in all the sessions, share challenges, ideas and proffer solutions where possible. ” At the end of your three (3) weeks training, you should be able to go back to your various organizations and work in tandem with the laid down rules and procurement as stipulated in the public procurement Act, 2007 and other extant rules, as agents of change in this era of reform. Remember, there is reward for success and punishments for red lines. So be on the part of diligence, integrity and transparency”.
