The Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mamman Ahmadu, yesterday emphasised the urgent need to revise Nigeria’s procurement documents to address inadequacies observed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Ahmadu gave the charge in Lagos at a stakeholders’ workshop on the review of draft standard bidding and contract documents being used for the procurement of goods, works and services.
He said the documents currently being used were developed in 2009 and last updated in 2011.
“Experiences in using these documents have shown their inadequacies to cater for large, complex and dynamic procurement of goods, services and administration of contracts arising from their use.
“It is in that light that the BPP, as the regulator of public procurement, decided to respond to the identified challenges.
“The goal is to bring them up to date with the current international best practises while ensuring domestic interests are well taken care of, for the purpose of national development,” he said.
Ahmadu, who was represented by Director, Energy Infrastructure, BPP, Babatunde Kuye, said the ultimate objective was to ensure transparency and promote competition.
Other objectives include cost effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system and disposal of public assets in line with global practices.
We expect the stakeholders to discuss the key clauses of interests, synergise various perspectives and incorporate them in the documents being reviewed and developed.
Ahmadu noted that a lot has happened in the procurement space, both locally and internationally, since the development of the existing bidding documents, hence the urgent need for review.
He said the process of review of the existing procurement documents and development of new ones was activated with the engagement of a consultant with global experience to help drive the process.
“The draft procurement documents have been produced and shared with relevant stakeholders. The aim is to create an opportunity to harvest valuable input from all public procurement stakeholders.
“We expect the stakeholders to discuss the key clauses of interests, synergise various perspectives and incorporate them in the documents being reviewed and developed.”
He urged the stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to the on-going procurement reform towards ensuring national development driven by public procurement.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Director, Monitoring and Compliance, Ishaq Yahaya, said reviewing the nation’s procurement documents had become necessary in view of emerging challenges.
He said the workshop will show what had been developed with a view to stimulate discussions among the stakeholders.
“We shall expect stakeholders to point out areas we have not covered and areas we shouldn’t have inserted,” he said.
He emphasised the need for Nigeria to address contracting issues in the country to promote transparency and national growth.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that similar stakeholders’ workshops are expected to be held in three other centres – Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja. (NAN)
