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How BPP Saved Nigeria N1.9 Trillion in 15 Years – DG

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By Gloria Ikibah

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has revealed that it saved Nigeria a total of N1.9 trillion by reviewing procurement processes and verifying contract sums from 2009 to 2023.

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The Director-General, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, stated during a budget defense session with the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement on Monday in Abuja.

He said: “Mr. Chairman, the Bureau’s Price Intelligence mechanism has generated significant savings to the federal government. The prior review of procurements and the verification of contract sums and approach, has resulted in cumulative savings of over N1.9trillion , and this has prevented funds from being diverted into personal pockets.
“This process also helps to reduce excessive projects costs and release more funds for other development investments”.
According to the BPP Boss these include in 2009  N46.519bn, 2010 N216.690bn, 2011:NN77.652bn, 2012:N124.113bn, 2013: N95.797bn, 2014: N127.368bn and 2015:
N49.519bn.
The rest are 2016: N32.398bn, 2017:N78.977bn, 2018:N170.485bn, 2019: N49.142bn, 2020:N172.676bn, 2021:N146.961bn, 2022:N365.568bn and 2023: N146.410bn totalling N1,900,282,844,421.28 trillion.

He said that beyond the direct savings, the bureau’s compliance mechanisms have also played a role in boosting revenue by ensuring bidders are up-to-date on their tax, pension, and social security payments before participating in any procurement process.

However, the Director-General expressed concern over the budgetary ceiling imposed on the agency, which he feared could undermine this and other strategies designed to enhance the system.

During the budget planning process, the Bureau requested N72,775,250,713, but the Budget Office allocated only N3,283,021,838, excluding the Personnel budget of N649,558,451.59.

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Regarding the 2024 budget performance, he noted that N2,234,785,641 was allocated, with N2,110,061,164 utilized. However, the capital allocation of N289,418,688 was insufficient to achieve significant reforms or address the core mandates needed for effective contract administration. So far, only N184,024,690 of the capital expenditure allocation has been released.

For the 2025 budget, Adedokun highlighted the agency’s focus on addressing office accommodation needs, improving project monitoring and evaluation across the country, implementing an electronic procurement system, and enhancing capacity building.

While thanking the Committee for its continued support, he appealed for additional funding to help the Bureau meet its objectives.

“We also realise that we need to also intensify our audit exercise. It is better to prevent than to prosecute. Under our watch our strategy is to ensure we prevent misuse of funds through real time IT tools in procurement audit.
“We want to go digital in terms of our workflow, which means even if DG is not on seat, certification can be done anywhere in the country. We also provided for an upgrade of our national database of contractors and service providers.
“Under the 2025 budget, it would no longer be business as usual. We will be categorizing contractors meaning that contractors of equal competence must bid for projects within their funding capacity.
“I want to assure you that we have the capacity to transform the procurement space within the shortest possible time. We will do more if empowered financially.
“If we use procurement as a tool for good governance, it would reduce corruption and poverty and increase employment and industry if this appeal is given due consideration.
“BPP has the capacity to contribute significantly to the GDP of the country through the innovations we are bringing on board”, he stated.
Adedokun said the various achievements by the Agency over the years has been with very limited funding.
He said under his administration the Bureau is committed to making the contracting process even more efficient, transparent and competitive for foreign and local contractors.
Chairman of the Committee,  Unyime Idem, said they were mindful of the ceiling imposed on the agency and would do something about that.
“I want to assure you that what you have seen before us the proposal, so we would engage the committee in charge of appropriation to ensure that those inadequacies in terms of funding are addressed,” he added.
Idem also said the BPP remains a vital institution for the ability of any government to achieve good governance and deliver the dividends of democracy.
He said if the BPP improves its productivity in playing its full role, it will improve the quality of governance, procurement and project management.
“However, how can the above be achieved without an empowered BPP? I have looked at the data with respect to the allocation to the BPP in 2024, which indicates that it was allocated N2,234,785,641 and N2,110,061,164 was released under the 2024 budget.
“Under the budget proposal before the National Assembly, the Budget Office of the Federation and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning allocated to the BPP a maximum ceiling of N3,383,021,838, excluding personnel cost. This is notwithstanding the impact of inflation between January 2024 and January 2025″.
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SAD! Again, Alleged Herdsmen Attack Three Benue Communities

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The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.

Benue has in the past decade experienced incessant attacks.

Suspected herdsmen have again stepped up violent attacks as no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were attacked on Wednesday.

The communities affected during the fresh attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju all in Otukpo where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.

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Local sources confirm that several people may have been feared dead again in the fresh attack.

Wednesday’s attack came hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the arrest of three suspected herders in connection with the invasion of Otobi village on Tuesday night.

When contacted, Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack on the three communities, saying that the attackers stormed the communities at the time when the Commissioner of Police was still at the Ochidoma Palace over the previous day’s attack on Otobi.

He added that three people sustained injury in the attacks on the three communities, leading to women and children abandoning the communities for fear of being killed.

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“Only young men were in the communities when the attackers arrived. The prompt response from combined security operatives made the attackers flee and none of them were arrested,” Ogiri stated.

The police spokesperson in the state, Sewuese Anene, was yet to confirm details of the attacks on the three communities.

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Insecurity: Obi lauds Northern Traditional Ruler’s bold steps

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The 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has hailed the Northern Traditional Rulers for taking bold steps on the menacing security challenges in the region and in the country.

Obi, who was reacting to the ‘Enough is Enough’ declaration of the royal fathers on the security situation, said that their courageous steps are needed to find a lasting solution to the menace.

Writing on his X handle, Obi said “I would like to sincerely thank the Northern Traditional Rulers for their courageous and timely emergency declaration of the security situation in the region. I cannot agree less with them that “Enough is Enough” regarding the persistent killings and insecurity plaguing our nation.
“Their collective voice, as reported, underscores the urgent need for decisive action to protect lives and restore peace in our communities.

“I urge governments at all levels to work closely with these royal fathers who are closest to the people at the grassroots. Their commitment to addressing these challenges and offering counsel to regional governors reflects true leadership and a deep concern for the well-being of their communities.

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“The stance of the Northern Traditional Rulers serves as a clarion call to all stakeholders. We must unite, irrespective of political affiliations, to implement lasting solutions that address the root causes of our nation’s challenges.

“Let us work together to build a Nigeria where every citizen feels safe, valued, and empowered.

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Snub story on removal of Rivers Sole Administrator, it’s FAKE-Chief Registrar

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By Emmanuel Agaji

The Rivers State High Court Chief Registrar, David D Thua-Maduenyi has rubbished speculations suggesting that Rivers Sole Administrator has been removed by the state’s High Court.

Naijablitznews reports this was contained in a statement personally signed by the Chief Registrar saying:

“My attention has been drawn to an online news report with the caption “BREAKING
NEWS: Governor Sim Fubara secures Court victory over Wike and Tinubu –
Federal High Court Orders Sole Administrator to vacate Government House”,
authored by one Joy Musa published by 247 ureports on Tuesday, 15th April, 2025.

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“Ordinarily, I would not have bothered myself with any refutal, but for the
mischievous mention of the name of Hon. Justice Boma Diepriye which appears
synonymous with Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri of the Rivers State High Court in
paragraph 4 of the report thus:
“Justice Boma Diepriye, who presided over the case, ruled that the
appointment of a sole administrator to oversee the affairs of a state with
a sitting, democratically elected governor is “illegal, null and void…”

“In view of the above, I wish to state as follows:
Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri is not a Judge of the Federal High Court but a
Judge of the Rivers State High Court, and is already on Easter Vacation,
which commenced on Monday, 14th April, 2025.

“For the period of the Easter Vacation, only the vacation Judge is sitting:
and Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri is not the Vacation Judge.

“The mention of the name of Hon. Justice Boma Diepriye which is similar
with Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri of the Rivers State High Court is not only
false, but misleading, and clearly exposes the crass ignorance of the
reporter; as the Federal High Court is different from Rivers State High
Court.

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“No State High Court gave any order(s) relating to or concerning the
subject matter as captioned in the online news.

“It is regrettable that some bloggers and online news reporters have traded
professionalism on the altar of pecuniary gains they seek to derive from traffic on
their social media handle and web pages.

“Henceforth, the Judiciary enjoins the general public to seek clarification on any
news report concerning the Court and official of the Court before publication.

“The general public is advised to clearly ignore the false and misleading publication.

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