BPP strengthening audit systems to tackle corruption in procurement – DG
By Tom Okpe
The Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, has informed that the agency is strengthening its audit systems, to tackle corruption in procurement system in the country.
Dr Adebowale Adedokun, the BPP boss made this known on Monday at the National Assembly, while meeting with Committee on
Public Procurement, to defend the Bureau’s 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal.
He however, decried the budgetary ceiling, placed on the agency, which he feared, would hamper objectives, among other strategies it plans to adopt to improve the system.
He said at the budget planning and preparation, the Bureau proposed the total sum of N72, 775, 250, 713.00, however the Budget Office allocated a ceiling of 3, 283, 021, 838.00, which he noted, was in exclusion of Personnel budget of N649, 558, 451.59.
On the 2024 budget performance, he said a total sum of 2, 234, 785, 641.00 was allocated out of which N2, 110, 061, 164.00 was utilized.
He said the capital allocation of N289, 418, 688.00 for the year was inadequate to achieving any meaningful reforms and addressing core mandates that will realize effective contract administration saying, “only sum of N184, 024, 690.00 of the sum for capital expenditure has so far, been released.”
Adedokun said the agency’s 2025 budget primarily, focuses on addressing its office accommodation challenge, address monitoring and evaluation of projects, throughout the nation, deliver an electronic procurement system to the country as well as build capacity.
While expressing gratitude to the Committee for the support it had shown the Bureau, he decried the paucity of funds and sought its assistance to get more money.
“We also realise that we need to intensify our audit exercise. It is better to prevent than to prosecute. Under our watch, our strategy is to ensure we prevent misuse of funds through real time.
“We want to go digital in terms of our workflow, which means, if the DG is not on seat, certification can be done anywhere in the country. We also provided for an upgrade of our national database of contractors and service providers.
“Under the 2025 budget, it would no longer be business as usual. We will be categorizing contractors, meaning that contractors of equal competence must bid for projects within their funding capacity.
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“I want to assure you that we have the capacity to transform the procurement space within the shortest possible time. We will do more, if empowered financially.
“If we use procurement as a tool for good governance, it would reduce corruption and poverty and increase employment and industry, if this appeal is given due consideration.
“BPP has the capacity to contribute significantly to the GDP of the country, through innovations, we are bringing on board.”
Adedokun said various achievements by the Agency over the years has been with very limited funding.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep Unyime Idem, said they were mindful of the ceiling imposed on the agency and would do something about that.
“The BPP remains a vital institution for the ability of any Government to achieve good governance and deliver, dividends of democracy.
“If the BPP improve its productivity in playing its full role, it will improve the quality of governance, procurement and project management.
“However, how can the above be achieved without an empowered BPP? I have looked at the data with respect to the allocation to the BPP in 2024, which indicates that it was allocated N2,234,785,641 and N2,110,061,164 was released under the 2024 budget.
“Under the budget proposal before the National Assembly, the Budget Office of the Federation and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning allocated to the BPP, a maximum ceiling of N3,383,021,838, excluding personnel cost. This is notwithstanding the impact of inflation between January 2024 and January 2025.
“I have perused the Needs Assessment, conducted by the BPP preparatory to the presentation of the extant budget, and I can see that the actual needs of the Bureau comes to about N72,775,250,713.
“I have noted that there are some major critical needs of the Bureau, for example, the Bureau does not have a befitting and functional Office accommodation. An important institution like the BPP that is reviewing huge projects and regulating all the major capital projects in Nigeria should have a befitting office.
“I urge the BPP to expedite action on leveraging technology to enhance its operations. To effectively regulate, review, and monitor public procurement, the BPP must deploy cutting-edge IT assets, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence.
“Notably, many countries have successfully transitioned to e- Procurement, achieving significant gains in efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency,” he said.
