Board moves to sanitise BPP in Rivers

The Rivers State Government has taken a bold step to ensure transparency and accountability in the procurement process, with the governing board of the state’s Bureau on Public Procurement (BPP) vowing to eliminate over-bloated contracts and ensure value for money.

Speaking to newsmen after a meeting with staff members of the Bureau, Chairman of the governing board, Lawrence Oko-Jaja SAN, stressed the importance of procurement in driving the state’s development.

Oko-Jaja pointed out that to achieve this goal, the board has established a price intelligence department to monitor and regulate contract prices, ensuring they align with market research and are within acceptable thresholds.

He noted that a monitoring and intelligence department will also be tasked with ensuring contractors deliver on their promises, preventing the use of substandard materials, and avoiding costly project failures.

Oko-Jaja highlighted the board’s commitment to supporting the state governor’s mantra of “Rivers first,” ensuring that programs and policies are implemented efficiently and effectively, with the ultimate goal of benefiting the people of Rivers State.

He said: “Procurement is now a global issue, and without a proper procurement plan, the state, the nation, or even the world at large cannot move forward.

“We want to ensure that there is value for money and that the state government gets the best possible services and products at the best possible price.

“We want to ensure that the procurement process is done in such a manner that it’s not over-bloated, that the contract being awarded is not over-bloated, that what we can use to do one job is actually what it is and not be used to do no job at all or used even to line pockets.

“That is why procurement is important because at this level, coming to this office, it is at this office that you begin to look at whether there is quality in what the contractors are going to present.”

Oko-Jaja, who reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to transparency and accountability following a maiden meeting between the Board and staff members, also stressed the importance of interactive sessions in promoting a culture of responsibility among staff.

According to him, the interactive session marked a significant departure from the norm, as staff members were, for the first time, apprised of the Board’s policy decisions and expectations.

The new approach, he noted, would foster a sense of accountability among staff, as each department would be held responsible for its actions.

However, he assured the people of Rivers State that the Bureau would uphold the principles of transparency and accountability, in line with the Governor’s mantra of “Rivers first.”

He also said that the Bureau’s primary goal was to ensure that all its activities benefited the people of Rivers State and those doing business in the state.

This move is expected to save the state government significant funds, which can be channelled into other critical projects, and promote a culture of transparency and accountability in the procurement process.