The President gave this directive today in Abuja, when he declared open the first National Conference on Public Procurement (NACOPP), with the theme “Public Procurement: A tool for Good Governance.”
The President’s directive followed the BPP’s categorization and classification of Federal Contractors and service providers into equal competences and capacity for bidding purposes.
Jonathan whose speech was delivered by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, said that any company debarred by the World Bank, Africa Development Bank and UNDP, as well as other development partners stands automatically debarred from contracting processes in Nigeria.
“This action is intended to eliminate distortions in bidding costs that tend to create the impression that project costs in Nigeria are higher than in other countries.”
President Jonathan noted that reforms in the procurement process has yielded positive results on the economy, adding: “being a good governance tool, procurement reform has enhanced the activities of other agencies of government.”
He said that as a first in the World, Nigeria is setting up the first International Procurement Platform to facilitate an interface between a regulatory authority and procuring entities and service providers.
President Jonathan reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthen the BPP, commended the 24 states that have passed procurement laws, even as he charged the remaining 12 states to urgently follow suit. He also asked all the States to give adequate protection to the regulatory agencies to effectively discharge their duties.
“It is important to reiterate that Nigeria runs one economy and therefore the need for one set of rules governing our contracting processes cannot be over emphasized.
“All States that are yet to pass the law are urged to pass them while those that have passed the law are urged to strengthen them in order to ensure delivery of services at best cost to the people.”
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that the BPP is a tool for fiscal saving and transparency even as she called on stakeholders to support the Bureau in the discharge of its mandate.
In his own address, the Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Emeka Eze, said the Conference is intended to bring all states of the federation to subscribe to one set of National procedure in public procurement.
Dr. Eze said that as part of its mandate to reduce the scope of corruption and improve efficiency in the system, the Bureau from year 2009 to date had saved the country over N528 billion in project reviews. He also disclosed that the BPP had recommended over 180 companies to the ICPC and the EFCC for investigation on fraudulent activities.
The Public Procurement Act was enacted in 2007, establishing the BPP. The BPP is charged with the responsibility to amongst others provide legal and institutional framework and professional capacity for public procurement in Nigeria.
The 1st National Conference on Public Procurement is holding in Abuja from November, 10-11, 2014. The conference is hosted by the National Public Procurement Forum (NPPF) and being implemented by the National Planning Committee and supported by the BPP.
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