FOLLOWING an investigation by The International Centre for Investigative Reporting on skewed procurement process regarding a multi-billion Naira afforestation project in 11 northern States, the National Agency for The Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has organised a 2-day workshop on procurement process for the staff of the agency.
The agency which operated as a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the Federal Ministry of Environment is responsible for executing the environment projects
The investigation has revealed how shoddy project execution, fake companies including Information Communication Technology firms were awarded contracts for environment projects. Further findings in the report had shown the companies either used fake addresses or never existed.
Aside, the report titled Failed Contracts, Lack of Community Ownership Mar multi-billion Naira Great Green Wall project showcased the need for a more transparent procurement process in project execution and service delivery – this, the Director-General of the NAGGW, Bukar Hassan affirmed while admitting to the irregularities.
However, in a statement issued by Pauline Sule, Head of Press and Public Relations Unit, at the weekend, Hassan said, “proper procurement process and procedures is essential for transparency and accountability of any responsible government or private entity”.
According to him, the public procurement was a creation of government by an act of parliament in 2007 which led to the establishment of the Procurement Department in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, stressing, procurement has become one of the innovative ways of handling government business as its importance to government and the country cannot be overemphasized.
At the training held in Keffi, Nassarawa State, he said the training was to keep the staff abreast of the dynamics of the Procurement Act, Bye-Laws and Executive Orders that constantly guide expenditures of Contracts, Consultancies, Works, Goods and Services.
The statement says the training was designed for all the Directors of Departments and Units and Members of Parastatals Tenders Board (PTB) in the agency while topics such as procurement planning for Successful Budget Implementation, Procurement of Works, Goods, Consultancy of Technical Services, Overview of Public Procurement amongst others were well treated by the resource persons.
Represented by Lawrence Oyadoye, Director of Procurement, Hassan had earlier said Staff of the ministry would travel to Senegal and few other African countries to adopt their methods and replicate the success stories.
The GGW is to plant a wall of trees across nations in the Sahel region from Senegal to Djibouti as part of regional efforts by the African States to check desert encroachment and improve rural livelihoods.
Benefitting states include Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto, Borno, Zamfara, Jigawa and Kebbi.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at oadanikin@icirnigeria.org. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin