Lead civil society organization in procurement Anti-Corruption, Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative, PRADIN has warmed that it is illegal and not in line with the laws for the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP to train and certify procurement officers in the public sector for a reward.
Making this point yesterday at the Public Hearing on the Bill to amend the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management Act 2007, the National Coordinator, Com. Mohammed Bougei Attah said the mis-application of section 5(k) of the Public Procurement Act, PPA 2007 is largely responsible for the level of corruption in the system.
In his submission, he said the word “organize” does not connote “conduct” as contained in the law and therefore it illegal to apply same by the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.
He disclosed that public procurement alone accounts for over 70% total corruption cases in the public sector and this is largely as a result of unqualified personnel that are at the helm of affairs in procurement cadre across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of government.
Supporting the above statement, Prof. James Akanmu of the Procurement and Supply Management Department, University of Lagos said procurement is a profession like engineering, medicine, law and others, and therefore only qualified personnel certified by the CIPSMN should be allowed to manage the process.
He pointed out that the current situation where unqualified personnel in the public sector are occupying procurement and supply chain cadre is unhealthy for the nation.
With over 50 professionals from the Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria among others in attendance, it was clear signal that it is no more business as usual.
The National Coordinator of Professional Association of Nigeria, PAN also supported the above position that only qualified personnel that are certified by the Institute are qualified by law to practice procurement as professionals and for reward.
In his welcome address at the opening of the Public Hearing, the Chairman House Committee on Public Procurement, Rt. Hon. Uyime Idem briefed the participants about the importance of the Bill and the need to support it for the growth and development of the country.
In his words “We cannot continue this way anymore. There must be a deliberate attempt to correct the ugly situation where procurement is practiced by unqualified personnel and lack of cooperation between the key stakeholders, such as the BPP and CIPSMN.
The Committee therefore unanimously directed the management of BPP to invite the executives member of CIPSMN to a meeting to resolve the inconsistency in the management of procurement process in Nigeria.
The Bill HB 346 of 2024 seek to amend the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management Act to confirm with obtain globally and for other related matters. The Bill has scaled the second reading at the House of Representative in whole on February 28 this year.
