In pursuance to its set objectives of ensuring accountability and transparency in the act of governance, the Bureau of Public Procurement in Adamawa state in conjunction with Charterehouse Consulting Limited and World bank has organised a training workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises across the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
The primary reason behind organising the 2 Day Training workshop was to scale up the participation of operators of SMEs in the procurement process and procedures in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government be it at the state or at the Local Government Areas.
Equally, the event was designed to strenthen the capacity of the participants or equip them with requisite knowledge on how they can bid or solicit for contracts, and how they can be engaged in offering services to the state through handling of contracts.
This is coming even as Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, led administration has since opened up a window for the SMEs to be fully involved in every contract to be executed in the state.
Speaking while declaring the 2 Day Training Workshop held in Yola the state capital open, the Chairman Adamawa State Board on Public Procurement, Barr. Yakubu Ngbale, said that the training is not only timely but crucial given the pivotal role of the SMEs in the economic sector.
The Chairman stated that the event was designed to equip the participants being key players of the economy, and serve as impetus for them to actively participate in all procurement process and procedures of MDAs in the state.
Barr Ngbale, disclosed that recently Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has approved a comprehensive work plan and subsequently, the board also approved a new operational guidelines for implementation to scale up the participation of the SMEs in the procurement process and procedures of the MDAs in the state in line with SFTAS approved guidelines.
He commended Fintiri for his commitment towards ensuring transparency and accountability in governance as a key instrument to fighting corruption and achieving value for money in the procurement of works, goods and services by MDAs.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the Director General Adamawa BPP, Abba Bello, said that the event was designed to educate the participants on the procurement process and procedures, saying it will enable them to have access to what the government is doing in terms of delivering dividends of democracy.
The DG added that the training will educate them on how to bid whenever they hear or see any notice or advertisement of contract be it at the ministry or LG, explaining that if someone does not know how to go about it, it will become a problem.
Abba Bello, said that BPP is advocating that contract from #1 kobo to #60milion be awarded to SMEs in the state, instead of going out of the state and inviting foreign companies except if the contract is technical in nature and indigenous contractors cannot be able to handle it.
He pointed out that they have been able to increased the level of threshold even at the LG level , saying that all the LGCs can be able to award contract for #60million without going to the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, saying that the BPP expects to receive reports on how SMEs are being awarded contract for execution.
Baring his mind, the Leading Consultant Charterhouse Consulting Limited, Abdul A. Mamman, explained that the event is aimed at domesticating procurement contracting as obtained at the Federal level, saying that it means they have to lower and change certain parameters through which they use in engaging contractors.
According to him, if people at a particular location are tested and found to have the technical, capacity and competence, should be allowed to participate in the bidding process, saying that there are things that are going to be waved out for them.
The Consultant disclosed that Adamawa is the number 3 state in the country that has opened up governance in the area of contracting system, saying that Adamawa bureau has identified itself as one of the best runners into getting the right thing done.
Abdul A. Mamman, stated that it is small businesses that currently push the economy all over the world, saying that they are the ones that bigger organisations rely, and that if they are not available, bigger organisations cannot flourish.
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