From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has advised the Federal and States Governments to improve on its contract procurement policies in order to block loopholes.
UNDP’s Social Innovator of SDG-16, Governance, Peace and Security (GPS), Adewole Oke, spoke at the
opening ceremony of the Anti-Corruption Innovation Project, in partnership with the Accountability Lab Nigeria and Open Contracting Partnership, Ekiti, Edo and Plateau States Bureau of Public Procurement.
He commended the aforementioned states for demonstrating the willingness to reform public procurement and champion the anti-corruption initiatives.
He said: “Through a tailored consortium between UNDP, Accountability Lab, Open Contracting Partnership, Ekiti, Edo and Plateau states Bureau of Public Procurement, the Anti-Corruption Project is ensuring improved government procurement data.
“Also public access by promoting efficient, transparent and inclusive delivery of better value for money, public service, improved monitoring and oversight of anti-corruption agencies, through the development of red flag monitoring and business intelligence tools for risk detection, and identifying gaps within the procurement data.
“These three States have demonstrated the willingness to reform public procurement and champion the anti-corruption initiatives.”
He explained that accountability and transparency is a foundation to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 which seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provides access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
He added: “UNDP will continue to support the Anti-Corruption Project to achieve its goals, as well as accomplish and sustain inclusive, transparent and credible civic engagement around enhanced service delivery for a peaceful and cohesive society.”
Also, Programme Manager for Africa Open Contracting Partnership, Andidiong Okon, suggested that government should employ capable hands to oversee the procurement department.
Okon said: “There is inadequate funding for procurement agencies and some of them do not have the capacity like in Plateau State there are only about 14 people in the team carrying out procurement work. Capacity is one of the challenges in the aforementioned states.