Osun ‎Govt Partners EU, WB To Sensitise Public Officials on Public Procurement Law

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The Osun State Government has partnered State and Local Governance Reform (SLOGOR) Project, an European Union and World Bank Assisted programme to popularize Public Procurement Laws.

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The two-day sensitization workshop which started on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday was put together by SLOGOR, in Conjunction with State of Osun Public Procurement Agency for the newly elected local government chairmen and all the council managers on the implementation of Public Procurement Laws.

Speaking, the state Coordinator Eu-world Bank Assisted state and Local Governance Reform, SLOGOR, Mr Yemi Ijidele said that the essence of the workshop was to ensure that the local government chairmen, council managers and other stakeholders are familiar with the PPL.

Ijidele who commended the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for allowing the seminar to take place said the law would give room for sustainability of transparency and accountability in government transactions.

Ijidele noted that there was the need for the local government chairmen to have a framework upon which they would base their operations and be guided.

He noted that  Public Procurement Law provides for public dissemination of information on government procurement which will guarantee citizens, particularly small and medium scale enterprises opportunities to participate in public procurement processes among others.

Ijidele further explained  procurement was one way government interfaces with the people and enlivens its domestic economy.

‎The SLOGOR state coordinator said it was important that the resources of government were managed judiciously and the procurement process seen to be transparent and equitable.

He held that government, as stewards of public funds, must be accountable and be seen to have got the best deal for the people with public funds.

He pointed out that the State of Osun Public Procurement Law 2015 consisted of 81 sections which would ensure probity, accountability, transparency, value for money as well as establish fair pricing standards and benchmarks.

According to him six state including; Osun, Anambra, Cross River, Yobe, Kano and Jigawa are benefiting from the Euro/World bank assisted programme.

He therefore implored the participants to make judicious use of the training they have received from the workshop.

Speaking, the Chairman Ejigbo South Local Government area, Prince Boye Jayeola said that the seminar would in no small way added to their knowledge on the implementation of public procurement law.

Jayeola, the ALGOR chairman said though some of the participants are conversant with the procurement practices but the workshop would aid the newly elected chairmen broaden their knowledge on the procurement law implication.

Appreciating the organisers of the programme, Jayeola  urged them to make such a workshop to be done on a regular basis, saying it has imbibed fresh knowledge on them on the implementation of public procurement law.

Jayeola also added that the law would also ensure probity, accountability, transparency, value for money as well as establish fair pricing standards and benchmarks.

He  said government had put in place adequate guideline to safeguard the law from being abused by people.