The Bureau of Public Procurement is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standard and integrity in public procurement by promoting transparency, accountability and efficiency, during the courtesy visit to Universal Basic Education Commission headquarters in Abuja, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, MCIPS, ACFE, emphasized that, the visit symbolized a shared commitment to strengthen the procurement and education system, and to commend and support the new leadership of UBEC to deliver on its mandate.
The DG stated that, inasmuch as UBEC is the primary entry and foundation of education of Nigerian children, it is necessary for all critical holders including BPP to give maximum support to UBEC because, success at the basic level guarantees success of Nigerian children, while failure at the basic level jeopardizes the future of the nation. Hence the need to eliminate insecurity and poverty through efficient procurement process.
Dr. Adebowale reiterated BPP readiness to help UBEC assess their procurement process, identify gaps, lapses and challenges they encounter in the course of their procurement process. It is the invitation to improve the system and actualize the dream and mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
In her response, the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education (UBEC), Mrs. Aisha Garba, welcomed DG BPP and his team and reminded him that BPP Is an extension of UBEC due to the long time partnership, of which 80% of UBEC activities is centered on procurement.
She said that, the major challenge of UBEC is in the area of out-of-school children. Categorically ‘Nigeria has the largest out-of-school children, which numbered approximately seventeen Million (17,000,000), a combination of Liberia and Cameroon population.
The Executive Secretary solicited for more support in some critical areas like capacity building, more involvement of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and strategic approaches to guide UBEC to do the right thing and overcome external pressures and internal processes to achieve its mandate.
The DG, BP, further outlined some initiatives of the Bureau that could be of help to UBEC, such as; Community Base Procurement, a policy at the state and local level, whereby contracts are given to Local Government at certain level of threshold, while projects are executed in the locality to ensure development within the locality and to reduce external pressure. Adding that, BPP is establishing strong monitoring system with ICPC and EFCC to get rid of manipulations. Amongst others are the Revised Standard Bidding Document; Electronic Government Procurement; Capacity building of procurement officers; Nigeria Open Contract Portal (NOCOPO) for the uploads of procurement plans of MDAs, as no award of contracts will be made without uploading the procurement plans on NOCOPO platform; All procurement processes should be ready within the first quarter of the year and its implementation be completed at the stipulated time.
Mrs. Garba concluded her remarks by reminded the DG that both agencies are optimistic and looking forward to fruitful relationship for the advancement of Nigeria.
Signed
Zira Zakka Nagga
Head of Public Relations (BPP)
24th March, 2025
