The Federal Government through the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, has threatened that it will expose any procurement officer involved in inflating cost of contracts.

BPP also said that it will soon release a policy that will debar contractors that default consistently, warning that the era of procurement officers behaving like politicians and collaborating with contractors to circumvent the process was over.

The Director- General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, read the riot act, weekend, while making his presentation at the Bureau Enlightenment Workshop for Directorate of Procurement in Ministries, Departments, Agencies, MDAs, in Abuja.

Dr. Adedokun, said Procurement Officers were expected to lead procurement reforms which he said was changing rapidly and should make sure government projects are delivered timely and according to specification.

He threatened to hold accountable procurement officers if any procurement process failed, just as he assured those that carryout their duties diligently will be protected by the agency

He said: “Public procurement is the use of public fund by public entities for the delivery of public goods, works and services usually through a third party (contractors).

“Procurement is an enabler for economic growth, a sustainable development, prevention of fraud and risk management. Procurement is not to award contract alone but is used for planning,” he added.

The BPP DG, said any procurement process that was not tendered to the BPP for approval is illegal, noting with dismay the discovery from its audit the abuse of contract splitting that involves procurement officers.

He further said that some people award contract without ‘Certificate of No Objection’, and that some even go to the extent of adopting a method that is not open and transparent and don’t pass through the Tenders Board.

He said: “You will be held accountable for an award that was not delivered in line with the specification. We will hold the accountable.

“So the change has come that we will hold you accountable for any mis- procurement, that you cannot provide evidence that you guided them correctly.”

The DG further said: “I need to reiterate, if the procurement fails, I will hold you accountable in your organization if procurement plans are done and done incorrectly, I will hold you accountable. That should be very clear. If a project is inflated, I will hold you accountable. If specification and needs drafted by a user department, and you accept, we will hold you accountable. It’s time that the narrative about procurement officers being unskilled or unqualified is over.

“You just need right now to take full account responsibility of your department. Because of COVID 19, lot of things were done and we got away with it, there’s no more COVID-19. You just have to do procurement the way it is.

“We have moved from how they say, procurement delays. Procurement no longer delays, because we are pragmatic now we are a solution provider. We will solve problems within the ambient of the law.

“BPP will defend procurement officers. If they do the right thing, we will defend them, protect them, but if they fail, we’ll be the first to expose them. That is a decision we have reached with the Head of Service, that BPP will provide skills, capacity, building, education, enlightenment, Head of Service will be there to defend you. Having said that, globally, procurement is an instrument that is used to give development to its citizens.

“We are professionals, including the engineers, everybody. We make this to happen. And so we need to begin to ask ourselves questions. If I, as a procurement officer approved a contract or recommend or carry out evaluation and that contractor actually does not merit it, shouldn’t our conscience judge us? We need to start thinking, the future of Nigerians relies on the effectiveness of our procurement process.

“Let me say this, political heads are eager to deliver, but they also must be. told the consequences of doing procurement, that when they leave, they will account. So it’s for you and I to guide them in the appropriate manner so that even when they exit government or after retirement, they are sure that what they did will not be questioned. It’s your duty.”