The director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Adebowale Adedokun, has urged the 350 newly trained procurement officers to promote transparency and accountability in government procurement processes.
Mr Adedokun gave the advice at the close of a three-week training programme organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in partnership with the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
The BPP director-general said the training was part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in government procurement.
He noted that the federal government’s procurement reforms aim to promote transparency, accountability, and economic growth.
According to him, the reforms include the Nigeria First Policy, the debarment policy, digitalisation, capacity building, the contractor and service provider database, and affirmative procurement.
Mr Adedokun emphasised that procurement and its processes constituted a national service and should not be used for selfish gain.
He said the BPP was seeking procurement officers who were dissatisfied with existing inefficiencies and committed to driving positive change within the system.
Mr Adedokun further explained that the bureau was working to build a new generation of procurement officers in the civil service who would contribute to national development.
The director-general stated that the bureau was also ensuring that government agencies used their facilities effectively and efficiently and that public assets were put to proper use.
Mr Adedokun directed the officers to submit reports to their management detailing what they had learnt from the training and the changes they intended to implement in their organisations.
He also urged them to continue improving their skills through online courses and advanced training programmes.
The BPP boss said the bureau planned to train more procurement officers in the coming months, with the next batch scheduled to begin in January 2026.
He added that the bureau had also been training chief executives and senior government officials on procurement processes, noting that the programme was ongoing.
Mr Adedokun reaffirmed the BPP’s commitment to transparency and accountability in government procurement and warned that any officer who violated the provisions of the law would face sanctions.
He also stated that procurement officers were required to make decisions on assigned procurement tasks within 72 hours, or the matter would be referred to their superiors.
(NAN)