Procurement audit saved N628b from MDAs in seven years

Thanks to efficient service delivery by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Federal Government was able to save over N628 billion from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the last seven years, Director General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Joe Abba has said.

The DG of BPSR gave this hint on Wednesday on the occasion of the International Day of Anti-Corruption in Abuja.

In 2014 alone, the BPP was able to shave off from the various procurement plans of the MDAs N98 billion, he said.

Expatiating, Abba also observed that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) which is domiciled in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and centralises the database system for Nigerian public service has played immense role in preventing wastages and leakages in the civil service.

“The BPP has saved N628 billion in the last seven years alone. Starting from 2009, we have put in place processes that have reduced wastages in government’s procurement. In addition to ensuring that procurements are properly done, the IPPIS has also come into the system to help cut off ghost workers and save money. When it is fully rolled out, we anticipate that more checks on government workers will be done to weed out more ghost workers,” Abba said.

On audit queries, he said: “In terms of audit queries, Mr. President has directed that all audit queries must be answered within 24 hours and these are some of the measures that are in place now.”

Read also: Arms Procurement scandal: EFCC arrests former minister, others

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was a guest at the occasion, also gave indication that the Federal Government was already setting machinery in motion to get a new legislation that will provide protective cover for citizens who serve as ‘whistleblowers’ to expose corrupt acts and persons in government and businesses in the country.

The Vice President, who was represented by Prof. Sadiq Radda, said the government would be seeking the active participation of Nigerians in its fight against corruption in the country.

Osinbajo noted that deliberate choice of Nigerians to keep quiet on instances of corrupt practices will rather hurt the country.

“If attitudes of ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ continues, so will corruption continue to thrive. Citizens must always report corruption when they see it and refuse to pay bribes. Rather, citizens are encouraged to demand that government take action against corruption. In these days of social media, reporting corruption with responsibility should not be a major problem,” Osinbajo said.

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