The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSM) has advocated the introduction of procurement management as a course of study in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Speaking at the 2022 Group A Induction Ceremony for new members, Registrar, CIPSM, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, lamented that successive governments, over the years, have failed to give priority attention to procurement management.
The institute inducted 141 members across the country. Aliyu noted that in Kenya, procurement management could be studied up to doctoral degree, while in Nigeria; only Kaduna State University (KASU) started offering the course at the bachelor’s degree level two years ago.
He said: “Most Kenyan universities are offering Purchasing and Supply to Ph.D level, advanced countries have departments of procurement and supply in their institutions. In Nigeria, KASU started offering degree programme in procurement and supply chain management just two years ago.
“Procurement controls 80 to 90 per cent of total budget of any organisation or nation, but government is not looking at giving it the necessary recognition it deserves.
“Can you pick someone from the road and call them medical doctors? You can now see how the country has been bastardised, that is why so many jobs are done haphazardly, while roads and buildings constructions are done with inferior materials. That is the reason we have trained these people on the acts and signs so that this country can be better.”
Aliyu emphasised the need for sound procurement practice for organisations, saying it is a valuable tool that can be used to curb corruption in the county.
He called on government at all levels to implement sound internal procurement guidelines that will ensure compliance with existing laws for the economic growth and development.
According to him, good procurement practice will give information needed to decide where the business is going, hence, the need for the country to make procurement a priority in all sectors.
He enjoined the new inductees to use the knowledge acquired in the institute to handle their affairs well, so as to contribute positively to the corporate objectives of any organisation they find themselves.
Coordinator, North Central Zone of the institute, Abdul Mamman, said: “We have been training people and inducting them. Professionalism is key; you train people and certify them by examination. It has to do with ethical standards and ethos. If you do it effectively, you are managing the scarce resource of the government.”
