Mr. Emeka Ezeh, the Director-general, Bureau of Public procurement (BPP), in Abuja on Monday said the Bureau had saved $590 million dollars through the implementation of the procurement Act.
Ezeh spoke at a workshop on procurement, organissed by BPP for government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“In terms of dollars, we have saved $590 million. What you call savings is the difference between the amount being recommended by the Ministry and the amount we certify.
“For instance, if the Ministry recommends that a job be given to somebody at five billion and we actually rectify that the person who got it won it at may be, 2.5 billion, that difference is the savings”.
He said the focus of engaging MDAs in the workshop was to ensure that procurement officers understood global practice on government expenditure.
“The workshop is to remind you of what you know and tell you the dangers ahead and implications of the law becaue the law has no provision or exceptions of jail terms.
“As procurement officers, you are not just going to sit down and be given instructions you must know the standard bidding documents, development evalution criteria and make good use of the computers, “Eze said.
He said that participants at the workshop would be tested on general monitoring of aduit and evaluations, negotiations and administration of contracts among others.
According to him, the Bureau will make recommendations based on its funding to the head of service for the grading of procurement officers performances.
He urged participants to share their experiences to educate themselves on best practice in procurements.
Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, the Head of civil service of the federation called on procurement officers to be agents of change, adding that as “change agents, you cannot continue to do our business as we have always done.
“If we are able to reduce the cost of our procurement, money will then be available for other needs that are ready to be addressed.
“I tell you most sincerely that if you put God first and the fear of God before you, you will find that it will be difficult for you to do what is wrong”.
According to him, procurement officers should be conversant with the provisions in the procurement act.
Commenting on due process as it affects the implementation of the budget, he said “it is not because of due process but because of the actions of officials.”
He called on participants to use the opportunity and understand the standard bid document to enable them to use it as a guide to direct various tenders’ board meetings.
“This workshop is the one that you must be graded, which means that if you don’t measure up, you then shape out.
“You must not remain procurement officers and not have the knowledge to know the mandate to bring change,” he said.