Write an article about
18 total views today
By Jacinta Nwachukwu
An NGO, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), has called for digitalisation of procurement processes to enhance accountability and transparency in procurement governance.
The PPDC Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Lucy Abagi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja, at the presentation of the PPDC 2024-2028 Strategy Document, titled: `Leveraging Citizen Power for Sustainable Future’.
Abagi said that civil society organisations (CSOs) should not be the primary drivers of procurement processes, saying that government ownership was crucial.
She said that the government should provide regular updates on the use of taxpayers’ money and procurement processes.
According to her, the PPDC has been supporting government’s transparency for the past 22 years.
Abagi said that the NGO’s project, Transparency for Citizen Engagement, was aimed at leveraging citizens’ power for a sustainable future.
She further stated that the project was being implemented in three states: Kaduna, Ekiti and Adamawa to enhance accountability and transparency in the states’ procurement processes.
The chief executive officer said for more transparency in governance, there was the need for state procurement audits, contracting processes and annual reporting on government policies and practices.
“Procurement portals have been developed for the three states, with Kaduna and Ekiti using them efficiently.
“The portals provide detailed information on contractors, contract awards, jurisdictions and timelines.
“The portals also allow citizens to track contractor selection criteria and project monitoring criteria,’’ she said.
Abagi, however, said that observations showed gaps in procurement processes in spite of some progress, with abandoned and poorly executed projects.
She, therefore, called for transparency and accountability in government procurement to prevent project duplication and ensure contractor accountability.
The chief executive officer also urged the government to lead in procurement processes, open government partnerships and open contracting and funding to build capacity for managing procurement portals.
Also speaking, the Advocacy Officer, West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network, Mr Austin Aigbe, said that corruption was the greatest challenge to the Nigerian state, with procurement being a significant loophole.
Aigbe underscored the importance of citizens’ participation in holding the government accountable for procurement fraud.
He said that eradicating procurement fraud would result in significant savings for the country.
The advocacy officer particularly cited the example of vehicle procurement where funds were repeatedly allocated but not used, leading to repeated expenditures.
According to him, procurement fraud ultimately leads to suffering by members of the public, as funds intended for public projects are diverted.
Aigbe, therefore, called on Nigerians to actively follow the procurement process and hold the government accountable through the PPDC strategy and online portals. (NAN)
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
Published By
Editor/Assistant Chief Correspondent,
FCT Correspondent,
NAN Abuja.
Has also recently published
.Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6). Include conclusion section and FAQs section at the end. do not include the title. it must return only article i dont want any extra information or introductory text with article e.g: ” Here is rewritten article:” or “Here is the rewritten content:”
