Adamawa Hails GPHCDA, BoPP Over Procurement Law

The Adamawa State Government has hailed the managements of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA) and Bureau of Public Procurement for their high level of commitment to the religious implementation of the vision of the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi to encourage transparency, value-for-money, quality and competitiveness in government business through the Public Procurement Law.

Speaking in Port Harcourt during an official visit to both institutions last Monday, Leader of a seven-man Adamawa State Government delegation to the state, Dr. Murtala Ahmed said the synergy between the two agencies would encourage quality in project delivery, stressing that this explains the palpable mutual and beneficial relationship existing amongst government ministries, departments and agencies.

Ahmed stated that the Adamawa State Government was at the verge of establishing a Bureau of Public Procurement to ensure prudent management of public resources, pointing out that this informed the visit aimed at understudying the Rivers State BoPP and GPHCDA to learn the dynamics and processes of setting up a procuring entity to direct and enforce full compliance by the agencies, departments and ministries in Adamawa State.

Earlier, Administrator, GPHCDA, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, had said that the virtue of corporate transparency has been embedded in the operations of the authority with a view to promoting good governance, adding that promoting accountability and value-for-money in the conduct of government businesses within the ministries, departments and agencies would ensure timely and cost-effective project delivery for the benefit of the people.

The administrator said the study tour will avail officials from both states the opportunity to share ideas on the best strategy to procure and manage government business for the benefit of the people, and described the public procurement law “as a shield for public office holders” from unethical practices in the award on contracts.

Cookey-Gam stated that GPHCDA was established to implement the new city master plan and regulate future development within the Greater Port Harcourt City area, adding that the agency has since inception, strictly complied with an effective and transparent procurement law.

In his remarks, Procurement Manager, GPHCDA, Douglas Dimkpa, explained that end-user needs were first identified and defined before contractors and suppliers were called in to respond to bids, noting that bids notification were given sufficient publicity through the media, official website, notice boards of public institutions and other outlets.

Also speaking, Director-General, BoPP, Mr. Franklin Nlerum, said the bureau “had maintained an efficient and transparent procurement process for state government projects and contracts”, and urged the visitors to emulate the determination of the bureau to follow due process in order to engender good governance across the nation.