The Ogun State Government has warned public procurement service providers to avoid bribery, corruption, and unnecessary spending of government funds during the procurement process.
The Director of Digital Procurement, Research, Review, and Strategic Planning at the Ogun State Bureau of Public Procurement, Ayomikun Akinbode, issued the warning on Tuesday while delivering a lecture during a sensitisation programme for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The programme, held at the conference halls of Ado-Odo/Ota, Abeokuta South, and Ijebu-North Local Governments respectively, called on vendors and contractors to avoid any fraudulent practices that could jeopardise the smooth implementation of the procurement laws.
Akinbode further explained that all procurement contracts must contain warranties for the durability of goods, the exercise of requisite skills in service provision, and the use of genuine materials and inputs in contract execution.
He added that contracts for goods, works, and services would be awarded to the lowest evaluated responsive bidder.
“Some of the requirements a bidder must meet before being awarded a government contract include professional and technical qualifications, financial capability, and tax compliance, among others,”;; he said.
In her address, the Bureau’s Coordinator, Feyisara Bolarinwa–Adebowale, appreciated the organisers of the programme, saying that procurement is more than just choosing what to buy and which method to adopt.
She noted that it involves a series of activities aimed at ensuring positive outcomes, adding value for money, and reducing the cost of governance.
She emphasised that everyone is a stakeholder in the procurement process, noting that there are administrative and criminal sanctions for service providers who violate the law and sabotage the state’s procurement process.
In his remarks, the Director of Appeal Management Resolution and Quality Assurance, Olatunde Kazeem, said procurement has changed how government activities are run since the procurement reform was introduced in the state.
He urged all participants to adhere strictly to the provisions of the procurement law, guidelines, regulations, and bidding documents of the state.
Responding on behalf of the participants from Adex Nigeria Enterprises and Tobex Ventures, Sheriff Adejola and Tobiloba Aina appreciated the Bureau for the sensitisation programme, noting that it had enriched their understanding of how best to bid for government contracts in accordance with due process.
