Director General of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale A. Adedokun has tasked chairmen and members of the newly inaugurated boards of South-South Development Commission, Southwest Development Commission, and North-Central Development Commission to follow due process in procurement and not see procurement as an opportunity to make money.
Adedokun, in his presentation at a retreat organised by the Ministry of Regional Development for chairmen and members of the boards of regional development commissions, said that lack of due process had derailed the nation’s development objectives, adding that the President Bola Tinubu’s administration had mandated the BPP to ensure that procurement was no longer transactional.
He stated that in order not to run foul of the laws, the leadership of the commissions should be conversant with the most critical element of procurement success, “which is the basic understanding of the Public Procurement Act and other extant laws and regulations.”
According to him, “Both chairmen and members of the Commissions must follow due process. This is because you are liable for every procurement decision.”
The DG warned that that the accounting officer charged with line supervision of the conduct of all procurement processes as provided for in Section 20(1) of PPA 2007, shall be liable for the breach or contravention of the Act or any regulation “made hereunder whether or not the act or omission was carried out by him personally or any of his subordinates” as contained in Section 20 (2a) of PPA 2007.
He urged them to think about achieving concrete development, building legacies, and making President Tinubu proud to have appointed them in the first instance.
He warned that development was not about providing tricycles, pepper-grinding machines or sewing machines for the people, explaining that development was about constructing interconnected rail system, building iconic hospitals, iconic educational institutions and roads that are durable.
The DG said that his office would deploy electronic solution to monitor development projects in the regions right from his table in Abuja, even as he charged the leaderships of the commissions to take the transformation of the regions as a burden that must be borne and successfully discharged.
Adedokun said that the fundamental principles of public procurement were based only on procurement plans supported by prior budgetary appropriation and that no procurement shall be formalised until funds were available to meet obligations
He listed other principles to include open competitive bidding; promotion of competition, economy, and efficiency; achievement of value for money and fitness for purpose and that evaluation criteria shall not be changed.
e-Signed
Zira Zakka Nagga
Head of Public Relations (BPP)
September 11, 2025
