By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Senior Program Advisor, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Ife Olatunji-David has said a two-day validation workshop and focus group discussion organized by the Centre would enhance procurement practices in the state.
According to her, the programme, organized with the support from MacArthur Foundation, would enable stakeholders discuss the practices of procurement in the state and proffer innovative and standard ways of improving the processes towards the betterment of the society and eliminate corrupt practices.
Participants during group discussion at the workshop
PPDC, which also advocated needs for stakeholders in Ekiti state to be involved in the public procurement processes, clarified the workshop would enhance accountability, transparency and inclusiveness in procurement processes.
The workshop had in attendance key stakeholders from the Bureau of Public procurement, MDAs , civil society organisations, media representatives, vulnerable groups such as Persons with Disabilities and the market women.
The communication officer of PPDC, Nnenna Eze said the results of the research on the state vis-a-vis procurement necessitated the workshop for the stakeholders to provide solutions to the identified challenges and in a bid to enhance effective public procurement.
Group leaders during their presentations at the workshop
Speaking on the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) portal, she charged the government to be transparent by providing the public with relevant information about bidders and contractors and upload up-to-date data of each projects on the internet to build public confidence and transparency.
Eze spoke: “Last year, we carried out a report on the assessment of the Public Procurement processes in Ekiti State and how the government is complying to the Freedom of Information (FoI ) and procurement Acts.
“We found out some loopholes and we came here now to ensure that we are able to collaborate and cover those loopholes to ensure effective procurement processes, and a fair and open contracting process for all.
People with disabilities while contributing at the workshop
“We will work with the Government to ensure that Persons with Disabilities and other vulnerable citizens are included in the procurement processes,” she said.
Eze added that the organisation carried out a research with the results showing the need for the state government to be more transparent and be accountable in its processes by involving more stakeholders especially women and the vulnerable groups.
Her words: “The validation of the Public Procurement Assessment Reports and the focus group discussions mark a crucial step forward in our collective pursuit of excellence in public
procurement. By working together, sharing knowledge, and engaging in constructive dialogue, we can identify innovative solutions, address shortcomings, and support Ekiti state’s effort for a transparent, efficient, and accountable public procurement system in Ekiti State.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as you may know, the education and health sectors are pivotal to social growth. These sectors hold the key to our collective progress, shaping the future of our children and ensuring the health and well-being of our communities. It is, therefore, imperative that the procurement processes within these sectors adhere to the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and efficiency,” she noted.
An official of the state ministry of justice, Oluwatayo Fabusuyi, who spoke on the Ekiti State Public Procurement Law 2020, said relevant sections stipulated punishment for anyone who contravened the law in the procurement processes.
According to him, offenders were liable to conviction of two years imprisonment and fine.
Guess Speakers during their presentations at the workshop
However, at the end of the two day workshop, each group presented on identifying capacity gap, why media, CSO, PWDs, and MDA cannot access funds.
PWDs listed their own challenges such as Job discrimination, gender discrimination, sexual assault, lobbying and political influence, recommendations to the challenges include sensitization and awareness on how to treat PWDs and end discrimination.
They added that It was observed that some PWDs only registered their business as enterprise and not Limited liability which made them not to be qualify for public procurement process.
It was recommend that individual should upgrade their registration to Limited liability and get necessary criteria like BPP, TIN etc.
CSO disclosed that the major challenges for CSO include inadequate information, lack of funds and transparency among the government official with the CSO, “sometimes you write to request for information from the government, but the ignore letter which is one other challenges faced during project and budget tracking, recommendation from MDA {MoJ} include use of freedom of information law, persistent follow up, taking part in budget public hearing”.
