Daily Independent (Lagos)
David Agba
30 June 2009
About 90 percent corruption in the public service is recorded through contract inflation, non-delivery of items, bias and undue influence to the bidding process among others, the Federal Government has said.
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa disclosed this at the ongoing 2-day national forum on procurement organized by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja .
According to Aondoakaa, tender process is the mother and grandmother of all corruptions in Nigeria , ranging from award of contracts to persons without the requisite expertise, manipulations to undue influence or pressures on major players in the process".
He also said that the Federal Government anticipates that the establishment of the Bureau coupled with vigorous and consistent implementation of the objectives for which it was established will stem the tide of corruption, ensure value for money, and substantially improve the quality of governance.
Attorney General also warned that the federal government would prosecute any Ministry, Department or Agencies (MDAs) that fail to implement the 2009 budget.
"Any MDA that fails or deliberately did not implement the budget would be prosecuted. The government is interested that MDAs should access the funds through due process. Those who fail to access the funds through due process make the funds dormant".
The minister said that the government was not interested in prosecuting any Nigerian. "Our desire is for a just society to allow citizens thrive freely".
In his speech, the Director General of BPP, Emeka Ezeh also restated that within five years of its establishment (2001 - 2006), the BPP has recorded huge savings of over N300billion as reductions in inflated contract costs.
"The reforms attracted global acceptance in the area of public procurement, improved confidence of foreign investors and better image of Nigeria in the global arena", he added.
On his part, the Minister of Finance, Mansur Muhtar, who chaired the occasion, spoke of the invested interests against reforms, including, the BPP Act. He however advised that there is no room for complacency in fighting against the invested interests.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement, Yusuf Tugga called for strict adherence to the provisions of the Act, stressing that the government should inaugurate the National Council on Public Procurement without delay.
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