Governor Bello Matawalle has inaugurated The board members of the newly established Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) aimed at addressing growing public concern on the poor level of transparency and accountability in utilisation of public funds through effective procurement process.
The Governor who conducted the inauguration at the Government House Gusau on Monday said the establishment of the bureau became necessary considering the fact leaves in a competative world where foreign and local investors are keenly interested in having a competative environment which is transparent and accountable.
Matawalle said the essence of setting up of the bureau is not only aimed at addressing issues relating to government contract award and execution but also winning the confidence of investors noting that, the bureau and its council will work to ensure more transparent system of contract bidding, award and implementation, in line with the global transparency initiative.
According to the Governor the Council on Public Procurement is composed of the following:
a. The Governor or, in his absence, the Deputy Governor as the Chairman;
b. Secretary to the State Government; c. Head of Service; d. Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice;
e. Commissioner of Finance;
f. Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning;
g. Director General of the Bureau; h. Chairman Zamfara State Anti- Corruption Commission;
i. Three other persons with experience in engineering, law, economics, and procurement. One from each of the three senatorial districts;
j. Not more than five persons representing public interest to be chosen from the following professions, subject to the confirmation of the House of Assembly;
i. State Chapter of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management;
ii. State Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers;
iii. State Chapter of Association of Surveyors and Estate Valuers;
iv. Association of any accounting body in the state;
v. Nigerian Bar Association;
vi. The Secretary of the Bureau to serve as secretary of the Council.
On the function of the bureau Governor Bello Matwalle said they include:
i. Receive and consider for approval the audited account of the Bureau;
ii. Periodically review socio-economic effects of procurement policies;
iii. Provide advisory services to the Governor on the status of the State Government procurement in relation to annual appropriation;
iv. Approve procurement guidelines and regulations;
v. Determine the organizational structure of the Bureau;
Governor Matwalle said he believed the only way to defeat corruption in the process of contracts implementation is through a robust institutional mechanism as provided under the new law establishing the Bureau for Public Procurement and its Council on Procurement.
“During the opening ceremony of the training on public procurement for civil servants that were converted to public procurement cadre, organized by Public Service Institute of Nigeria in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service, that my administration will continue to put in place the necessary structures and frameworks that will protect the public interest and ensure transparent administration of contracts and all other government businesses”.
The Governor said his administration will continue to collaborate with institutions that seek to deepen the culture of openness in the public domain.
