Bayelsa Due Process Bureau Officials Applaud Lagos Procurement Agency

The Lagos State Public Procurement Agency has been commended for the giant milestones it has attained in the public procurement process by a team of officials of Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau, who were on a two-day study tour to the Agency.

Speaking on behalf of the 15-man delegation, the Director-General of the Due Process Bureau, Bayelsa State, Mr. Aaron Timiye, pointed out that the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency was identified as “one of the leading sub-national public procurement agencies in Nigeria, especially in the expansion of citizens’ participation in public procurement processes, disclosure of procurement information, capacity building and many more, to promote good governance and public confidence” in the management of public resources.

Mr. Timiye added that it was the achievements of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency that inspired and informed the decision of the Bayelsa State delegation to embark on the study tour to Lagos to learn from the experience of the Agency in public procurement regulation and identify possible areas of collaboration between the two bodies.

While welcoming the visiting Bayelsa delegation, the Director-General, Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote, emphasised the need for regular interaction and collaboration among regulatory public procurement agencies both within and outside the country.

Mr. Onafowote pointed out that knowledge and experience sharing among regulatory public procurement bodies would facilitate the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge and the evolvement of creative ideas and strategies that could further enhance the public procurement system of the States of the Federation and even beyond.

The Director-General added that the management was ready to make presentations and give tips on some of the practical steps taken by the Agency and the Lagos State Government that have been effective.

“I believe your Bureau will find the tips useful. And if the ideas are working for Lagos, they will surely work for Bayelsa. All that is needed is the will and the determination which I believe you have demonstrated by embarking on the long journey to Lagos”, Mr. Onafowote noted.

He further pointed out that strict adherence to the implementation of the Law setting up the Agency enables the Agency to conduct the public procurement process and the business of the Government transparently.

The Director-General also attributed the modest achievements of the Agency to the commitment of a well-trained crop of procurement personnel in the State, the synergy forged with key stakeholders as well as the unwavering commitment and support of the State Government to the Agency.

During the two-day study tour, officials of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency made presentations on the Procurement process, the Lagos State Public Procurement Law and Regulations, Monitoring, Contractor Registration and the e-Procurement system.