As part of its efforts to promote fair and open competition in public and private organisations in Nigeria, the World Bank is providing technical support for Ibadan Business School in the training of procurement officers from across the country.
The Lead Specialist, World Bank, African Region, Bayo Awosemusi, said the two-week executive training programme was designed to help government procurement officers move from mere theoretical approach to practical work. He said the need became imperative in order to re-establish professional conduct, transparency and fairness in governance.
He said, “The process that guarantees transparency, equality, equity in the distribution of services and participation in governance without discrimination against credible people is what we refer to as procurement. It is the acquisition of works, goods and services to help government deliver to the people. Other corporations and organisations also have that department in their structure.
“The participants are procurement professionals from their own background. What we are doing is to improve on their skills, move from theory to practice so that they can understand the rules and regulation in procurement process. In Nigeria, we have one of the best rules and regulation that govern the practice, but we need to understand how to apply them to derive the best benefit and eradicate corruption and favouritism. Nigeria must learn how to manage its economy, transparency and efficiency in order to be accountable to the people.
“That is what the training is about, we are not providing any financial support but technical support to IBS in this project, so that we can impact the additional skill that the procurement officers of government agencies need to render services in an efficient manner.”
Awosemusi added that corrupt tendencies thrive where the rules are not applied in procurement process, warning that government should not interfere in the process so that there would be transparency.
“Corruption surrounds procurement process in an environment where rules and regulations are not followed. We need to apply sanction so that corrupt officers will be held responsible for breaches.”
The President, IBS, Yinka Fasuyi, said the partnership put the institution in a strategic position to transfer practical, hands-on knowledge, skills and experience to participants who are from state governments procurement department and Federal Government agencies.
