The Yobe State Bureau of Public Procurement has organised a sensitisation and interactive session with vendors, local contractors and government officials on e-procurement and open competitive bidding on the award and the execution of projects in the state.
Governor Mai Mala Buni, while declaring the session open in Damaturu, said the occasion was meant to bequeath the participants on the government’s policy of managing as well as promoting prudence in the execution of government projects.
Buni represented by his deputy, Hon Idi Barde Gubana said Yobe is among the few pioneer states in the federation that set up the due process machinery such as e-procurement among others.
He said the present administration believes that to achieve the most needed transparency in the award of contracts, there must be equal opportunity of bidding of projects meant for execution.
“Through this way, we will be able to select the best and competent bidder. In following this method, the fear of dealing with incapable and inexperienced contractors is completely eliminated.
“Furthermore, a lot of work was put into making this electronic procurement solution a reality and the project team deserves an appreciation for a job well-done.”
The governor commended the Bureau for promoting transparency in the execution of projects across the state adding that due to good management, the agency was able to save over N5 billion from vetting of contracts for the state government.
The director general of the Bureau Alhaji Ismaila Mai Adamu said the sensitisation meeting was part of the agency’s efforts of enlightening its business partners on the new technologies introduced to further promote transparency and value for public funds.
Adamu said the measure became necessary considering the number of problems associated with methods of procurement, which include manual registration that require personal presence, high cost of bidding among others.
“Therefore, the easiest and most transparent ways of tackling these problems are by introducing an e-procurement system.”
