Bureau Of Public Procurement Set To Deploy Digital Processing, Classify Contractors

Ahmadu

By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja

The Director General Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mamman Ahmadu, has indicated that Bureau is working towards eventual digitisation of all its procurement processes and classification of all contractors in line with global best practices.

Ahmadu noted that the whole world is going “E” in the public procurement process, adding that Nigeria has also joined the rest of the world to ensure that the best global practices in public procurement process is strictly adhered by going digital in order to allow for more participation, efficiency and transparency to ensure that the public procurement reform receives the needed attention and to deliver ultimately for the good of the country

He spoke at the Zonal Stakeholder Workshop on the Development of the Category Matrix for the National Database of Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers (CCSP) in Abuja.

A statement by the BPP Chief Press Secretary/ Head Media & Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, quoted the Director General as saying that the Bureau would utilize modern technology in public procurement to further the reform process.

He emphasised the need for all the professional bodies to be fully involved in the reform process.

He cited that the Public Procurement Act (PPA, 2007) Sections 5j, 5q and 6j dictate the need for Classification, Categorisation of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers (CCSP) in order to enhance specilalisation, high performance in public procurement and reduce cost of tendering.

Also, Suleiman Hassan Zarma, Minister of State, Works also lent his voice to emphasize the critical nature of the Categorisation Matrix stating that it will allow for a more robust participation of all stakeholders to give room for specialisation in their different fields of expertise.

He also mentioned the need to ensure that in the categorisation matrix that the local contractors are also considered due to their fundamental role in the infrastructural development process of the country.

Present at the workshop were Professor Kunle Ade Wahab, Former Senior Special Assistant to the Former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) and the Head of the defunct Budget Monitoring And Price Intelligence Unit (BMPIU), which later metamorphosed to the BPP and Engr. Emeka Ezeh, the former Director General of BPP.

Also present were Engr. Nebolisa Emordi, former Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Transport and State House; Engr. Johnny Chukwu, former Permanent Secretary Federal Capital Territory (both Perm Secs were former staff of BMPIU and the BPP), some Directors of the BPP and a host of other distinguished professionals who are players in the different sectors of the economy of the country.