To combat procurement corruption, which accounts for more than 70% of total corruption in Nigeria, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to form and inaugurate the National Council for Public Procurement as soon as possible.
The CSOs also asked for the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, CIPSMN, to help combat procurement corruption in the country.
The demands were stated in a Communique produced as the result of a meeting attended by Prof Ismaila Mande of the National University of Nigeria, Wisdom Olisa of the NGO Network, and Victor Enejuire of the Centre for Social Justice.
On Thursday, August 24, 2023, in Abuja, a one-day Roundtable on “CSOs Strategic Alliance and Think-tank Against Public Procurement Corruption in Nigeria” would be place.
The Roundtable was held by the Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN), in conjunction with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), and the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
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“Tackling High-Level Corruption in Public Procurement” was the event’s theme.
Participants were drawn from key stakeholders such as the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Strategy Implementation Office of Presidential Executive Order 5.
According to the Communique, inadequate monitoring and prevention of frauds in procurement of goods, works, and services account for more than 70% of total corruption in the public sector, as researched by NGO Network since 2010.
It was noticed that the failure of successive governments, from President Musa Yar’Adua to President Muhammed Buhari, to establish the National Council for Public Procurement, NCPP, is a huge defeat in the battle against corruption, as it renders most procurement activities illegal.
According to it, noncompliance with some aspects of the Public Procurement Act 2007 has resulted in a lack of professionalism in the administration and execution of effective procurement practises in Nigeria.
It also stated that a lack of effective and continuous synergy between the government, civil society organisations, and professional bodies is a major reason why corruption cases are on the rise despite massive investment by the government and the people.
It went on to say that the lack of a bi-annual PROCUREMENT AUDIT of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, from 2007 to present is a huge window for corruption and abuses to be recorded in the system.
It therefore recommended that the government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu establish and inaugurate the National Council for Public Procurement, as well as the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, CIPSMN, among other strategic steps to address the country’s procurement corruption challenge.
“On the basis of the foregoing considerations, the participants consequently resolved as follows:
“That the Government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu should, without further delay, constitute and inaugurate the National Council for Public Procurement and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, CIPSMN as contained in Part 1 Section 1 of the two existing loss Laws to strengthen the fight against procurement corruption in the face of rising high-profile cases in the country.”
“That the establishment of the NCPP, as well as compliance with Sections 5-17 and 55 of the Public Procurement Act 2007, will ensure professionalism in management and the application of efficient procurement practises, thereby reducing corruption to its bare minimum.”
“That procurement corruption, which accounts for the majority of corruption as identified in previous research by CSOs and the Roundtable, is a serious concern to all participants, and thus resolved to engage new strategies by all stakeholders to combat the phenomenon.”
“That a strengthened partnership between the government, particularly anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations, and professional bodies, will aid in the prevention and fight against procurement corruption in Nigeria.”
According to the Communique, participants at the Roundtable expressed their thanks and congratulated the event’s organiser, and they asked for more synergy, collaboration, and partnership in the fight against misprocurement to reduce the high degree of corruption in the public sector.
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Participants also urged the Legislators in the 10th Assembly to be vigilant and take note of the concerns surrounding procurement corruption in order to assist them in their oversight roles.
According to it, the organisers commended the ICPC, EFCC, BPSR, SITOPE, CIPSMN, Academia, as well as CSOs and the media in attendance for their commitment and called for continued collaboration in this cause.
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