Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) says it will from April 1 introduce technology to drive procurement process as part of effort to offer effective and efficient service.
Emeka Ezeh, director-general, BPP, said the decision to use technology to drive procurement processes and commence e-procurement, especially for commonly used items was geared towards reducing human interaction and speed up delivery time.
Ezeh, while speaking at the 2016 Retreat on Public Procurement for Federal Permanent Secretaries and selected state permanent secretaries in Lagos, recently, said the bureau would commence price intelligence that would be benchmarked against its database to achieve value for money with adjustment in periods of inflations.
He disclosed that the bureau, to address infractions, would deploy administrative and judicial processes, stressing that the bureau had engaged in capacity building for procurement professionals and others in other departments.
According to Ezeh, “government saved N680 billion through the procurement reforms between 2009 and 2014. Also, the new reforms in the sector had deepened good governance.
He further noted that the aim of the retreat with the theme ‘The Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007: An Effective Tool for Delivering More for Less,’ was to remind the permanent secretaries of their responsibilities to the nation in managing public procurement.
Winifred Oyo-Ita, head of service, in her address at the retreat, observed that the plan to embrace e-procurement was a welcome idea that would reduce corruption.
