Disbursement Of N350bn To Be Guided By “Strictest Yardstick” – SGF

Babachir David Lawal-SGF

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal, yesterday said the N350 billion to be injected into the economy by the federal government to boost economic activities, will be disbursed under the strictest conditions.

Lawal stated this at the second National Conference on Public Procurement (NACOPP) organized by Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja.

“As we are all aware, government recently committed to the injection of N350 billion into the economy to enable contractors discharge their obligations in the delivery of infrastructure. This imposes greater responsibilities to procuring entities and contractors and service providers. Every kobo disbursed will be guided by the strictest yardstick”, he said.

He noted at the conference themed; “Sustaining the Anti-Corruption Campaign Through Best Procurement Practices”, that the current administration had promised change for Nigerians without setting limits to where its policies and programmes would make an impact.

“But we know that when the dividends of democracy flourish, it benefits all”, he added.

The SGF noted that the conference was critical and would benefit the states immensely, adding; “We are confident that the states stand to benefit from a public procurement system that is transparent, competitive, and efficient and one that is founded on accountability”.

Earlier, the Acting Director-General of the BPP, Engr. Ahmed Abdu, said the bureau saved about N680 billion between 2009 and 2014 for the nation through its prior review of procurements made by ministries, departments and agencies.

Abdu also noted that the bureau had sanitized the public procurement system through the registration, categorization and classification of federal contractors, consultants and service providers on its national database in order to ensure that only bidders of similar rankings tender for the same projects and that bidders do not tender for contracts that are beyond their technical and financial capacities.