BPP to reduce procurement fraud with new technology
In its continuous effort to promote a more transparent process in public procurement, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has said that it will henceforth, utilize modern technology in public procurement as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s reform process.
The Director General of the BPP, Mamman Ahmadu, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the zonal stakeholders workshop on the Development of the Category Matrix for the National Database of Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers (CCSP).
He said, “The whole world is going “E” (electronic) in the public procurement process.
Nigeria has also joined the rest of the world to ensure the best global practices in public procurement process is strictly adhered to by going digital to allow for more participation, efficiency and transparency;
to ensure the public procurement reform receives the needed attention, and to deliver ultimately for the good of the country.”
The BPP DG emphasised the need for all the professional bodies to be fully involved in the reform process to achieve its objectives.
He said Sections 5j, 5q and 6j of the Public Procurement Act (PPA, 2007)
stipulate the need for classification, categorisation of federal contractors, consultants and service providers (CCSP) to enhance specilalisation, ensure high performance in public procurement and reduce cost of tendering.
The Minister of State, Works, Suleiman Hassan Zarma, also emphasised on the critical nature of the Categorisation Matrix, stating that it would allow for a more robust participation of all stakeholders to give room for specialisation in their different fields of expertise.
He also stated the need to ensure that in the categorisation matrix, the local contractors are considered due to their fundamental role in the infrastructural development process of the country.
