Business
BPP Saves N68bn Through Diligence –DG
Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) said on Saturday in Lagos that it saved about N68 billion through the review of the procurement process in 2010.
The Director-General of BPP, Mr Emeka Ezeh said the bureau also recorded 60 per cent to 70 per cent success in the implementation of procurement reforms in the country.
Ezeh told newsmen at the annual retreat for Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Lagos that BPP had set up the legal, political and institutional framework needed to accomplish its mission.
“We are at the level of fine-tuning the implementation and educating actors and those involved in implementing the procurement process.
“We need to educate them more and more with the new change of guards after President Obasanjo’s administration,” he said.
Ezeh said the greatest challenge to procurement reforms in the country was resistance by the elites.
“The elites are many, including religious elites, political elites, contractor elites and others.
“These elites can be further referred to as those who have been benefiting from the old order. They are the greatest challenge to reforms,” Ezeh said.
He stated that the BPP had also developed in-house software that would be a tool in documenting and fast-tracking procurement process.
According to him, ministries, departments and agencies can get their development plan documented within two hours, using the software, instead of the 24 hours to 48 hours it would require manually.
He, however, said that the development would require all those in charge of the procurement processes to have good knowledge of computers.
Ezeh said the budget office was also addressing the servicing of local debts.
“There is provision for servicing of debts owed to local contractors, but most Nigerians are not honest, when you pay them, they go and generate more fake documents in order to get more money.
“The problem in the banking sector has revealed that fraud is not a public sector problem or private sector problem, but a Nigerian problem which should be addressed,” he said.
In his address, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Prof. Dapo Afolabi instructed all the permanent secretaries to pay attention to the procurement processes taking place in their organisations, as well as the personnel handling procurement matters.
“This year, please pay personal attention to all the processes even though you are busy people, we don’t want to have to practice damage control.
“Permanent secretaries are important people, respected in society, so should not be present at any point of disgrace, so watch the procurement process,” Afolabi said.
The HOCSF said that he was excited by the software that had been developed by the BPP, adding that it would help to streamline things and allow the robotics to take care of procurement documentation.
He said that all was in top gear to ensure prompt adoption of the software and by the end of March, the first two mandatory courses for developing the modules of the software for every level of the civil service would be launched.
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
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