As the Executive Arm of Government commenced consultation with stakeholders on the 2024 budget estimates, the leadership of the field of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) at the weekend, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the need to inaugurate the National Council on Public Procurement (NCPP) without further delay.
The CIPSMN President, Alhaji Sikiru Balogun and Registrar, Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed who gave the charge during the induction of 274 members drawn across the 36 States of the Federation and FCT, expressed grave concerns over the inefficiencies in the implementation of the nation’s Appropriation Acts by successive administrations.
The Ministry of Finance had last week advised all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to upload their respective budgets on their website once President Tinubu transmits the budget proposals to the National Assembly, as well as accord priority to ongoing projects, especially those near completion.
In the bid to ensure efficiency in the preparation of the 2024 budget estimates, Alhaji Balogun argued that the inauguration of the National Council on Public Procurement (NCPP) is the “most important element in the institutional framework upon which the policy governing procurement in the current composition revolves.
“Ensuring that professionalism is given the pride of place in all human endeavors as done in other developed and developing countries.”
Hence, he urged “Mr. President to hit the ground running by ensuring that, policy implementation as regards procurement and supply chain practice in Nigeria is given a top priority attention for the benefit of the citizenry and being the cynosure of all eyes, at the moment owing to the trust bestowed on you by the Nigerian people.
“In fact, our members are anxiously ready to help in rebuilding and modernize the nation’s private and public ethics. We have an abiding faith in our members when it comes to wise spending management, we want your government to support the CIPSMN efforts toward institutionalizing procurement best practices in Nigeria.
“The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria as an institute of experts in the field of procurement and supply chain management, is determined to provide your government with the required necessary professional support aimed, at ensuring the success of your administration in the delivery of dividends of democracy based on your campaign promises whenever we are called upon to do so.
“You may recall that Procurement and supply chain management played a key role in national economic development because, it consumes about 75-80 percent of the total budget or expenditures of any firm hence, your government requires, capable hands of which the Institute is endowed with.
“The dividends of democracy can be largely attained, through effective and efficient procurement planning policy, implementing strategies and right service delivery anchored on accountability, competition, transparency, probity, effectiveness/efficiency and indeed value for money.”
On his part, Registrar, Alhaji Aliyu underscored the need to rid the country of corruption by ensuring that professionals manned relevant public offices.
“There is a wise saying that goes this way and I quote ‘If fire is managed adequately or controlled, it can be our best friend while, when uncontrolled or improperly managed it becomes our worst enemy’. This statement can be likened to Nigeria’s procurement and supply chain management situation which culminated into one of the reasons, why corruption thrives in Nigeria to the detriment of national economic development.
“The Nigerian procurement system and practices had come under heavy attack through state capture and it portends great danger due to several volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) or inappropriate implementation of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 14 of 2007 as provided for in line with the legal framework and regulatory practice.
“Broadly speaking, the people in authority or managing the nation’s affairs including her resources, are mostly averred to good ideas, policy and procedures when it comes to implementation of an agenda or the thought of emergence of competence, of a genuine and quality contribution towards solving our national problems particularly, if it is evident that through such contribution there may be a way out.
“From the foregoing and based on the views of scholars, it is logically clear that many excellent ideas, papers, reports, resolutions, recommendations among others advanced by experts of which proper implementation guidelines would have solved some or all of our problems, were easily forgotten on shelves gathering dust and finally expired, even where the implementation time table requires no additional money or new legislation at all.”
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